The Runaway Seer
by DesertSnowQueen
Summary: After Natasha met Loki during the Battle of New York, she began to have strange visions that eventually link directly to her past. Now, she has to learn to balance these new visions and her life as a spy, but when she sees something that puts people she knows in danger, will she be able to stay a spy? Or will she choose to leave everything she knows for a certain God of Mischief?
1. Chapter 1: It Began When the Battle Ends

**Hey everyone! Trying something a little different this time. Hopefully you all like it! This is in honor of my best friend ever, who is responsible for my writing skills and taught me how to write for all sorts of different Avengers pairings. Her name on my phone is Loki, and if you're reading this, you know who you are. Love ya girly, and I miss you! Hopefully this is something you'll approve of, and I plan on writing more Avengers stories for some of your favorite pairings.**

**Anyway, enjoy everyone! I will be taking many creative liberties with this, so don't expect much of my Avengers stories to be cannon. I use backgrounds that I wrote with my best friend (yes, the same one who inspired this), and we didn't pay much attention to what was and wasn't cannon. We just wrote using our feels. So, don't be too harsh in your reviews. Thanks for reading!**

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**Chapter 1: It Began When the Battle Ended**

It had only been a few days since the Battle of New York, and Natasha Romanov found herself in the training room on the Helicarrier in the middle of the night. Somehow, this was one of the few rooms that survived the attack, but Natasha couldn't care less how it remained intact. She was just glad it was.

Ever since she first met Loki, she had been plagued by horrible dreams. The first few, which started the night after she met the God of Mischief, were about a pretty young woman she had never met, yet who felt so familiar. The young, mature assassin closed her eyes as the most recent one flooded her senses, making her feel as though she was having an out-of-body experience.

_The girl had red hair, much like Natasha's own curls, golden eyes, and tanned skin, and wore a familiar long, coppery-golden skirt with small cutouts and a slit up the left side that reached her knee, a matching bra-styled top with a halter, and a pair of gold sandals. She was running away from an elaborate city made entirely of gold, crossing a bridge that appeared to be made of a rainbow. She ran into a large, strange looking orb made of gold like the rest of the city, and ran up to a large, dark-skinned man with the same golden eyes, wearing golden armor. He turned when the girl entered, and watched her calmly as she bowed before him, waiting until she stood before him to speak._

_"Sierra," the man's voice boomed, "you know you are not supposed to be here." The girl, Sierra, bowed her head in a manner that mixed shame and embarrassment._

_"I know, Father," she replied quietly, and the man's face softened._

_"Then why have you come here? You know as well as I that I serve the All-Father, and he has forbidden me from speaking to you or your mother, and has forbidden me from helping you escape," her father asked with regret in his tone._

_"But Father, I cannot stay here! I cannot continue to be his servant. He treats me worse than he treats the others, and the other servant girls all tease me and call me a slave! Father, I understand how you are bound to him, but you must understand that I cannot be bound to him any longer!" Sierra cried, begging the tall man in front of her to help. The man looked closer at his daughter and found many injuries, some older and scarring, others fresh and bruised, as if they had only been inflicted hours before. He felt hot tears sting his eyes at the sight of his only daughter so broken, but still his vows held._

_"Sierra, my child, I cannot help you. I love you, as I loved your mother, but the All-Father must come first. If you truly must escape, you must find a way to do it under my radar," he told her, and tears began to stream down her rosy cheeks._

_"Then all hope for me is lost! Father, you see all! No one escapes under your radar!" she exclaimed tearfully, and the man sighed._

_"My child, there are hidden entrances into this realm, entrances that can take you anywhere in the universe, entrances that even my watchful gaze cannot monitor. You must find one of these entrances if you wish to escape undetected," he told his daughter, and watched as she took a minute to process this new revelation. She smiled sadly as she hugged her father, and he hugged her back, knowing this would be the last time he ever saw her._

_"Thank you, Father," she said to him before running away. He watched her go, listening to the soft but steady beat of her sandals hitting the bridge, and knew those were the last words he would ever hear his only daughter say. For if she was caught, she would be executed, and if she escaped, she could never return to the golden kingdom that was her birthplace._

Natasha's head swam as the memory faded away, and she held on to the nearest object for support. Her vision slowly cleared, and as soon as she felt stable she stood and went to wrap her hands. She wrapped them tightly-_one, two, three times-_until they felt protected,and made her way to the punching bag in the room. She started by hitting the bag halfheartedly, to get a feel for how solid the heavy bag of sand was, then let out all of her leftover aggression from the battle and her more recent dreams in a flurry of fists and kicks. She moved faster than a normal human would, and only someone with training to rival her own could stand a chance against her. She stopped for half a second when she heard a set of soft, familiar footsteps outside the door, but went back to her attack as soon as she identified the man. She didn't blink an eye when the door opened almost silently and the man came to stand behind her. A pair of strong arms reached around her from behind, and two rough, calloused hands, larger than her own, held her hands firmly but carefully, forcing her to finally stop.

"Tasha," a familiar voice spoke from behind her, and the redhead sighed.

"Hey Clint," she replied, and in one fluid motion she found herself facing the man who had practically raised her. His sharp yet kind blue eyes studied her, his brow knitting in worry when he took in how tired she was.

"Is it because of the battle?" the man known to most as Hawkeye asked her, and she hesitated before answering. Her exhaustion _was, _technically, because of the battle, but she knew there was more to it than that. She'd been in countless fights and missions before, most of which _could_ count as battles, but none of those left her with strange visions about a girl she didn't know.

"I'm not sure. I don't even truly know what's wrong," she admitted softly, and felt his strong arms wrap her into a hug. She leaned into him and he just held her for a minute, then she felt him guide her to a bench against the far wall. He handed her a water bottle, which she took gratefully as she sat, and he sat next to her. He wrapped one arm around her petite but strong frame and took a deep breath.

"Well, describe it for me. Is it a pain? Is it nightmares?" he asked cautiously, knowing how sensitive she could be to certain topics. She took a drink from the water bottle to bide time so she could figure out how to describe what was going on in her dreams.

"Not nightmares, per say. I guess they're dreams, but they're more like visions. I keep seeing this girl that looks and feels really familiar, but I don't know who she is. Her hair is exactly like mine is, though. She has gold eyes, and wears a gold dress that looks a little like a belly dancing costume that I swear I've seen before. In the most recent one, she's running away from a gold kingdom, and across some kind of colorful bridge, to meet a man with gold eyes that she calls her father, and he tells her how she can escape. He called her Sierra," she tells him, focusing on the memory so she can tell him everything, but willing it to not come back.

"So, a girl with gold eyes, red hair, and a gold belly dancing costume is talking to her dad and running away?" Clint asked her slowly, and Natasha knew he wasn't sure what to think of her story.

"Yes," she answered, wanting to convince him but not knowing how.

"And it's a girl you've never met?" he asked her, and she nodded.

"She seems really familiar, and I keep feeling like I should remember her or recognize her, but I don't," she told him, and he sighed.

"It's probably nothing, then. It might just be your imagination and stress getting the best of you. You always did like to write," he reminded her, trying to calm her down, but his partner shook her head fiercely.

"Clint, that's not what's happening, I swear. I know I've always liked to write when I get stressed and need to clear my head, but that was different. These, visions, are different. I'm not myself when I have them, and you can't blame it on my being drunk because I don't like drinking that much," she said, her emerald green eyes meeting his blue ones. He sighed and ran a hand over his face, but before he could say anything, Natasha's head swam and her vision blurred, and she lost all connection to the world around her.

_Sierra was wandering through a busy, snow-covered town that Natasha recognized almost instantly. She was in St. Petersburg, Russia, in the winter, wearing a heavy coat over her gold dress and sandals, and her once gold eyes were now green. A nagging feeling tugged at the corners of Natasha's consciousness, telling her she should recognize the girl now, yet her brain can't tell her who it is. Sierra continues to wander through the streets, shivering and hunched over in an attempt to block the cold, snowy winds that were bashing against her small frame. A tall man with a long, warm coat, a hat, leather gloves, and boots walked towards her with his head down, his back facing Natasha's point of view. He ran into the shivering Sierra, knocking her into the snow accidentally, and he stopped instantly. _

_"I'm so sorry," he exclaimed in Russian, reaching out a hand to help her up. She took it gratefully and kept her head down as she stood, shivering more than ever now that her skirt was drenched in snow._

_"It's fine," she replied between shivers in perfect Russian, startling Natasha. The man took in her partially frozen form and took off his jacket, wrapping her up in it. She tried to refuse his offer, but he stopped her._

_"You're cold. My home isn't far. You can warm up there," he told her kindly, and she nodded and followed him. They reached a small apartment a few blocks down the street, and he opened the door to reveal a very messy, but very cozy interior._

_"Pardon the mess," he said sheepishly as they both entered and he shut the door behind them. She looked around and smiled slightly._

_"I don't mind. What's your name, by the way?" she asked him, and the man finally turned so Natasha could see his face. For a second the entire vision froze as her brain tried to process what she was seeing, but then the man smiled and spoke._

_"Ivan Romanov. And yours?" Ivan asked her, and she smiled slightly as she picked up a small matryoshka doll on the mantle of the fireplace._

_"My name is Nicole," the girl said to him, satisfying him with an answer and leaving Natasha with more questions than ever as the world spun once again._

Natasha kept her eyes closed and her body tense for several minutes after the vision faded. She slowly recognized Clint's voice urgently asking if she was okay, and felt his arms tensely wrapped around her. She slowly convinced her body to relax and willed her eyes to open, and at first all she could see were Clint's worried blue eyes.

"What the hell just happened?" Clint exclaimed as he helped her stabilize herself. She took a shaky breath and leaned into him for support.

"I think I saw my parents meet…" she said slowly, unable to understand why this vision didn't come as a dream.

"You, what?" her partner asked incredulously, and Natasha shrugged slightly.

"I saw my dad meet my mom. It was the girl from the other vision, Sierra, but she told him she was Nicole, which was my mom's name. This time she had green eyes, and she looked almost exactly like me, just with slightly tanner skin," she told him, and his eyes widened slightly.

"So, you think your mom is the one from the first dream you told me about?" he asked her, his brow furrowed in confusion, and Natasha nodded.

"I think so. She died when I was so young that there's a lot about her that I never knew, but I'm almost positive that was her," she said quietly, and Clint began rubbing circles on her back soothingly.

"When did these start?" he asked her, and she took a breath to brace herself for the reaction she knew was coming.

"After I interrogated Loki when he was locked on the Helicarrier. I had the first one while you were unconscious and fighting off his control," she told him carefully, trying to keep him from blaming himself for what happened.

"Loki caused this?" Clint replied, bristling. Natasha sighed and braced herself for the next explosion she knew would come.

"I think he did. I need to talk to him-" she started, but Clint immediately cut her off.

"No," he stated with obvious finality. Natasha let out an exasperated sigh.

"Clint, I'm not 11 anymore. I can take care of myself. I could take care of myself at 11," she reminded him, but his grip on her tightened.

"I don't care. You're not going anywhere near him," he said, and she stood to face him, her green eyes burning into his with palpable frustration.

"For your information, I've already been near him," she told him, an edge of warning in her tone.

"Exactly. And you ended up cursed to have strange visions about your family history. That isn't normal, Tasha!" Clint exclaimed, and Natasha glared daggers at him. If looks could kill, her partner would be dead.

"And maybe he's the only one who can fix this, or tell me what's going on! If it started when I met him, maybe he knows something!" she shouted at him. He stood and towered over her small frame, but she didn't shy away. She was faster than he was, and more agile, and even though he was physically stronger, she always won when they fought. She was never afraid of him anyway.

"Natasha, I'm not letting you anywhere near him, and that's final. If he hurt you, I'd have to kill him," he said before storming out of the training room, probably heading off to the shooting range. Tasha just let him go, not wanting to deal with him anymore.

She rewrapped her hands and began to let out her frustrations on the punching bag. She stayed there until the sun began to peak over the horizon, turning the sky from an inky, midnight blue to varying shades of pink and orange. She finally sighed and rewrapped her hands before going to shower for the day. At noon, Thor would take Loki back to Asgard, and Natasha would lose her chance to ask him about her visions. She just hoped she would learn how to control them on her own.

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**Well what's going on with Natasha? Like I said earlier, very little of this will actually be cannon. A majority of this is my made up background and whatever I feel like doing to the characters to work with the plot. The only things that will be cannon are the movie references, because there's not much I can do to change those.**

**Leave a review and tell me what you think! Hopefully you all liked it, and thanks so much for reading and giving this a chance! Snowflakes of love and fun to you all!**


	2. Chapter 2: When the Gods Leave

**Hey everyone! Ya I know, there's a new chapter within days of the first one, instead of a week! Who would've guessed, right?**

****This is in honor of my best friend ever, who is responsible for my writing skills and taught me how to write for all sorts of different Avengers pairings. Her name on my phone is Loki, and if you're reading this, you know who you are. Love ya girly, and I miss you! Hopefully this is something you'll approve of, and I plan on writing more Avengers stories for some of your favorite pairings. You just might have to wait a while for those to actually get started. Here's a shout-out to you, however, because none of my stories would've been possible without you!****

****Anyway, enjoy everyone! And in case you didn't figure it out in the first chapter, I own nothing you recognize! Anything and everything you recognize belongs to Disney, Marvel, or the wonderful people on the Internet that inspire me to write! The only thing I own is the idea to give Tasha these abilities. Review and tell me what you think!****

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**Chapter 2: When the Gods Leave**

Natasha decided she would wear black skinny jeans, a black top with an orange tank underneath, a pair of black, heeled boots, and a light tan leather jacket to go watch Thor bring Loki back to Asgard. All of the Avengers were going, and Clint had promised to pick her up. She wasn't sure if his offer still stood, but she highly doubted he would let her go alone in case she tried to talk to the God of Mischief.

She let out an exasperated sigh and brushed out her short, red curls. Clint had always trusted her and her judgement before, but now he didn't and it was pissing her off. She had saved both of their lives countless times, and even though she risked her own life to get information, that was part of her job description! It wasn't like she was planning on fucking the god senseless to get him to talk.

She looked at herself in the mirror, and for a brief second saw Sierra-Nicole-in her reflection. The same shade of red in her curls, the same color eyes, the same bone structure, the same figure, the same everything. The only difference was in their skin tone. Natasha's skin was fair and very European, like her father's, but her mother's had been tan.

Natasha sighed and, on impulse, went to her jewelry box to pull out a necklace. She didn't own a lot of jewelry, but this necklace was special. It had survived her's days in Red Room, and she was always very careful not to lose it. It was a simple, silver chain with a beautiful diamond ring hanging on it. The ring was her mother's wedding ring, and it was the only thing she took from her home when she ran away. She saw a flash of green and gold reflected in the diamond, and as she stared into the stone, her head swam and her vision blurred, and she lost all connection to the world around her.

_It was late at night. Nicole was standing by a window in what appeared to be the master bedroom of a comfortable cabin in the woods. It was the home Natasha was born in, and she knew that room well. Ivan walked in moments later, and his brow furrowed in confusion when he saw the distraught look on his wife's face. He walked over and rested his hand on the small of her back, allowing her to lean into his side._

_"Hey, what's wrong?" Ivan asked quietly, trying not to wake their four-year-old daughter who was asleep in the next room. Nicole took a deep breath and wrung her hands together, still staring out the window at the night sky._

_"They're coming for me. I saw it. They found me, and now they're coming for me," she whispered, and Ivan didn't have to ask who. They started dating shortly after meeting, and she told him the truth about who she was. He knew she used to be a servant, he knew she ran away, and he knew that eventually, they would come looking for her. He tightened his grip around her, and held her close to his heart._

_"I won't let them take you," he promised, and she shook her head sadly._

_"Ivan, if they find me alive, you won't have a say. They'll take me, and if they find Natalia, they'll take her too. You have to keep her away from them," she urged, and he stared at her, unable to process what she meant._

_"Wait, keep her away? What about you?" he asked. Nicole bit her lip as hot tears began to sting her eyes, and Natasha was surprised to see three red dots forming a small flower at the outer corner of her mother's right eye, a mark Natasha herself had every time she cried. Nicole blinked away as many tears as she could, but still some fell and left tracks down her cheeks._

_"Ivan, if I'm dead, you'll have more time. You can find a safe place for our daughter. But you have to kill me," she told him quietly, pain and heartbreak evident in her voice. She looked up into his eyes and saw his heart shatter as he shook his head firmly._

_"I can't. I won't. I'm not going to kill you," he said, but deep down he knew he didn't really have a choice. He knew all the painful details of Nicole's life when she was Sierra, and he knew how hard she tried to put that life behind her. His heart felt like it was being turned to sawdust at the realization that the life she had wanted so badly to abandon would be what finally ended her life far too early._

_"Ivan, please. You have to. You have to keep Natalia safe," she begged, and Ivan crushed her against his chest to try to hold back his tears._

_"Not tonight," he pleaded, finally giving in to her plan, and she shook her head quickly._

_"No. Not tonight. We have a week before they come for me. It has to be before then," Nicole said quietly. He nodded and rubbed her back soothingly._

_"I love you, so much more than you could ever imagine. I'll make sure she's safe, and I'll join you as soon as I know she's in good hands," he swore to her, and felt sobs wrack her small frame._

_"I love you too," she said between sobs, and then Natasha's head swam and her vision blurred once more._

She was collapsed on the floor of her room, clutching her mother's ring with tears streaming down her face. She had watched her father kill her mother when she was only four years old, and it was one of the memories that would haunt her forever. Now, knowing that her mother had begged him to do it, just to protect their only daughter, put a whole new light on the memory. She held the diamond ring close to her heart before slipping it into her jacket pocket. She wanted it close but still out of sight from prying eyes and snooping geniuses.

A knock at the door startled Natasha, and she quickly wiped away her tears before going to see who it was. She opened the door to her room to find Clint waiting on the other side, wearing a maroon t-shirt, dark washed skinny jeans, a pair of high top sneakers, a grey sweater, and a black leather jacket, with his dark sunglasses in one hand and his car keys in the other. His eyes widened when he saw the tear stains on Natasha's cheeks and the puffiness around her eyes, and she moved to let him in. He quickly entered and shut the door behind himself, then turned to the redhead he'd worked with for years.

"What happened?" he demanded, and Natasha shook her head slightly.

"It was a vision. I saw my mom ask my dad to kill her a few days before he actually did…" she told him quietly, trailing off at the end. Clint pulled her close, and she felt tears begin to sting her eyes again, but she willed them away. The last thing she wanted was to cry again.

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay. That was a long time ago. You're not there anymore, you don't have to deal with that again," he told her, rubbing her back with small, soothing circles as she took a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

"I know," she said once she was calm. She pulled herself from his embrace and made her way into the bathroom to splash some cold water on her face to reduce the redness around her eyes. She smiled sadly at her reflection as the little red flower at the corner of her eye faded away, then put on her work mask that hid all of her emotions. She walked back out with her hand clasped around the ring in her pocket, and Clint looked over at her.

"Ready to go?" he asked, noticing her mask and immediately responding with his own. It was their way of silently letting each other know they were ready. She nodded and pulled her hand out of her pocket, leaving the necklace safely tucked away.

"Yes. Let's go," she said, and the two assassins walked out of the room and down to Clint's car.

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They arrived at the bridge in the park where Thor and Loki were going to leave from before most of the others did. The only one there was Steve, and he was standing away from the two of them, off in his own world and not wanting to be bothered. The two assassins left him be and stood against the railing on the opposite side of the bridge, where everyone planned on meeting. They had just settled into a comfortable silence when the others arrived, and Loki walked towards them with his hands cuffed and a metal gag locked over his mouth. When he got close enough, Natasha leaned over towards Clint, far enough away that she knew Loki wouldn't hear her.

"He's gonna have some trouble using that fabled silver tongue of his while he looks like a gay Bane," she whispered in her partner's ear, and saw him smirk as she pulled back to look at the god standing in front of them. He gave them a curious look but moved on to where Thor was standing. She watched him as he walked, and watched as he stood so it would be easy to see her. She felt his eyes on her, even though it didn't look like he was watching her, and all of a sudden her vision blurred. She gripped Clint's arm with one hand and the walls of the bridge with the other as her head swam, and she lost all connection to the world around her.

_Clint Barton was 21 years old and working as an assassin at S.H.I.E.L.D. He had extensive training as a sniper, but his passion was always a bow and arrow, and he never missed his target. It was his day off, and he had just left a shooting range near his house when he noticed someone following him. He wandered through the streets of New York City for an hour, trying to lose his tail, when the man cornered him in an alley. He was immediately recognizable as Russian, and Natasha recognized him instantly._

_"Please, I just want to talk to you. No weapons, no attacks, no danger. Just words," he pleaded, sounding like a truly broken man. Clint watched him for a moment before nodding, relaxing his stance but remaining alert._

_"I will listen," he said, and the man clasped his hands together in thanks._

_"Thank you. My name is Ivan. There is a girl in Russia. Her name is Natasha, but your agency knows her as the Black Widow. She is only 11 years old, and I know your boss wants her dead, but I'm begging you to spare her life. Make a different call. She's a special child, and I can't bear to lose her," he begged, and Clint eyed him with suspicion. He had heard of this girl before, but everything he knew about her said she was at least 17. She was dangerous and well-trained, and there had been rumors among the agency that Hawkeye would be assigned to take her out. Coulson had even approached him yesterday about how his Russian was, so Clint felt like there was some depth to the rumors. However, for this man, Ivan, to be asking him to spare her life, saying she was special, there was something about her that S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't know._

_"What makes her special?" Clint asked him, and the man sighed._

_"She's my daughter. Her mother was a seer who had run away from her life as a servant. Seven years ago, she had a vision that the people she had served were coming for her, and they would take our daughter as well if they found her alive. She begged me to kill her, to give me more time to find a safe place for her daughter. It broke my heart, but I did it, and not long after I had to force Natasha to run away so she would be safe. She's been safe, so far, but I worry about her. Red Room is a dangerous place. I'm begging you, don't kill her. Her mother told me she would develop the same abilities she had, and she's very special. I don't want to lose her too. I just, I need to know that she's safe with you," he said honestly, and Clint's sharp eyes picked up on tears pooling in Ivan's eyes as he spoke. Clint's own father had never cared for him, and Clint didn't have a kid, but he understood how protective a father could be. He saw it within partnerships and families in S.H.I.E.L.D., and he's seen it just with families on the street. He knew he wouldn't be able to kill this girl now, no matter what Fury wanted him to do._

_"Alright. I'll protect her," he promised, and the man clasped his hands together once again._

_"Thank you. There's just one more thing. Never let anyone take her from you. Especially an Asgardian," he said, and Clint swore to him that his daughter would never leave with someone he hadn't approved of. He made a silent promise to himself to raise the girl as his own, and the man thanked him and left._

_The next day, Clint walked in to work to see a classified file on his desk. His orders were to neutralize the threat that was the Black Widow of Red Room. He accepted the mission, and knew that he would make a different call than what was traditionally expected of him. Natasha's head swam and her vision blurred, and slowly the image of a younger Clint Barton faded from her view._

She opened her eyes to see the bridge in the park, with Clint supporting her. The two Asgardians were already gone, and the rest of their team were beginning to disperse and go their separate ways. Natasha took a few moments to regain her composure and her mask, then allowed Clint to lead her to the car. She smiled and waved at the others, and then they left. She just let her partner drive, not speaking. She turned on the radio, bringing in some background noise, and eventually they arrived at a quiet stretch of beach that had become their refuge from S.H.I.E.L.D.

They got out of the car and took off their shoes, rolled up their jeans, and walked onto the sand together. Natasha found a dry rock near the water, and they sat there for what felt like forever in pure silence, just listening to the calming sounds of the ocean. In the end, Clint was the one to break the silence.

"Loki knows," he told her, and Natasha didn't have to ask what he knew. He knew about her visions, and she had lost her chance to ask him about them.

"How?" she asked. Clint signed and ran a calloused hand through his hair.

"When you have a vision, your eyes flash with what looks like a gold flame, but with green sparks. It looks cool, but it's very obvious that something magical is happening to you. Loki was the only one who saw, but I noticed him smirk the second he realized what was happening," he said. Natasha rested her chin in her hands and watched the ocean before finally asking the question that had been bothering her since they left the park.

"Why did you lie to me?" she asked him quietly, and he turned to her in shock.

"What? When have I ever lied to you?" he demanded. Natasha turned to him with betrayal in her green eyes.

"You've been lying to me since we met. You knew my mother was a seer. You knew I would develop these abilities. You knew the real reason why my dad killed my mom, and you made a different call because my dad asked you to. It was in the vision I had as they left. You knew all of this before you even knew me," she told him, and saw the guilt fill his eyes.

"Tasha, I couldn't just tell you I met him. You would've never trusted me," he tried to reason with her, but she had stopped listening.

"He was even the reason you didn't want me near Loki, and why you wouldn't leave me alone while Thor was around. He told you not to let me near an Asgardian," she accused him, and this time he didn't try to deny it or reason with her. He just watched her with guilt in his eyes and his hands folded in his lap.

"Clint, when are you going to realize that I don't let people force me into anything I'm not willing to do?" she asked him, and he leaned back on his hands.

"Tasha, it's happened before…" he said carefully, and she couldn't believe he even considered bringing that up. She stood and turned on him, making sure she was in his line of sight.

"I was _ten, _Clint! I was ten and I got sold out by my own boss! When have you known me that it's happened?!" she demanded, practically screaming at him. He sighed and motioned for her to sit back down, which she eventually did. She picked up some rocks and shells and started throwing them as far into the ocean as she could, and Clint watched before speaking.

"I know, I know. I just worry. My saving you may have been because of a promise I made to your dad, and maybe I should've told you, but I did practically raise you, Natasha, and I still care about you. You're the closest thing to family I have, and the closest thing to a home," he told her sincerely, and she sighed. She took off her jacket and laid down in the sand near him, and he joined her minutes later.

"Clint, why didn't you at least tell me I was a seer?" she asked him, an instinctive part of her already knowing the answer. He chuckled under her breath before turning to look at her with a small smirk on his face.

"Would you have believed me if I told you? Especially if I said I knew you were a seer because your father told me so?" he asked in retaliation, and she laughed quietly.

"Okay fine. You're off the hook on that aspect. I just wish you had told me the truth," she said wistfully, and he took her hand in his.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted you to feel safe," he told her honestly, and she sighed.

"I know," she told him, and the two laid next to each other in the sand in silence. When the sun finally started to set, he helped her up, and they drove back into town. They made a stop for dinner and ice cream, like they used to when Natasha was younger, and for one moment, Natasha felt like she was a normal girl, going to dinner with her normal father, and she allowed herself to enjoy spending time with someone who knew her better than she knew herself.

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**Wow! More of Natasha's past has been revealed! It'll all be revealed later on, first in bits and pieces, and then she'll tell her entire backstory. Should be fun!**

**So, what would you have done if you realized that your partner and best friend only chose not to kill you because your father asked him to?**

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are always welcome, and there are already 3 reviews on this story! That's more than either of my other stories had on their first chapter! You guys are amazing! Snowflakes of love and fun to you all!**


	3. Chapter 3: A Day For Family

**Hey everyone! New chapter! I know my updates will be random, but this story will never be abandoned, I promise!**

**Hopefully you enjoy this one! It's really just fluffy, but I had fun writing it. Also: SPOILER ALERT! If you have not seen Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., there is a major spoiler towards the end of this. Also, their little holiday is just something I decided they needed.**

**Enjoy everyone! Don't forget to review!**

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**Chapter 3: A Day For Family**

It's been two months since the Battle of New York, and Natasha has been practicing controlling her visions. So far, she's been successful. She had a couple visions about her early days at S.H.I.E.L.D., but she was able to repress those fairly quickly, and she is in complete control when she's on missions. She has never had a vision while she was working, but she usually has at least one as soon as the job is over and she's somewhere safe.

Clint has been keeping track of her visions, meaning they're spending a lot more time together than usual. He monitors what time they start, how long they last, what time they end, how they affect her, what happened in them, and how far apart they are. He thinks that if he can figure out some sort of science behind them, he can help her control them. Now, they both know that Clint is not a scientist, but Tasha is always grateful that he's around to help.

One morning towards the end of summer, Tasha woke up to find a small, black box with a red ribbon tied around it, artfully crafted to look like an hourglass, sitting on her nightstand. She smiled, instinct telling her it was from Clint, and sat up. She picked it up carefully and took off the ribbon, without disrupting the bow. When she opened it, she saw a delicate silver chain with a small, silver arrow on it, and a note attached to the inside of the lid. She gently took out the necklace and opened the note.

_Happy Family Day, Tasha._

He had signed it with a simple arrow instead of his name. She smiled more as she read the small, precise, and slightly sloppy handwriting that belonged to her partner. He never had the neatest handwriting, but it has always shown his personality. She put the necklace on carefully, then got out of bed to shower and get dressed for the day. She'd had Clint's gift picked out and wrapped for a couple of months, and she could wait to give it to him. She put on a fitted, black tank top, a dark leather jacket, and dark-washed skinny jeans, with a pair of black and red wedges and a red belt with a touch of sparkle. She grabbed his gift and headed down towards the shooting range, knowing he'd be there.

As she walked in, she was greeted by the familiar thunk of arrows hitting their target. She smiled and headed over to watch Clint shoot, holding her gift for him behind her back. When he finally finished, he turned to her and smiled seeing the necklace on her.

"I take it you like it?" he asked her, and she smiled and nodded.

"Of course I like it. I have something for you, too," she said, pulling his gift from behind her back. He smiled as she handed it to him, and they went to a bench to sit while he opened it.

"Tasha, you didn't…" he said quietly, pulling out the new bow and homemade archery gloves. The bow was small enough that it could be folded and concealed if he was undercover, but big enough to be used properly, and the gloves were designed to be worn any time of year. She made them with all five fingers. They were black and lined with silk to withstand heat or cold, and the three fingers he uses in shooting were covered in black leather, with the other hand made to match. They were classy but still Clint, and both had a small, purple arrow going through the center of a red hourglass embroidered on the inside of the wrist. He put them on to try the fit, and noticed happily that they were perfect.

"I take it you like them?" she asked, and he hugged her happily.

"They're perfect. I love them. Thank you," he said, earning a light laugh from his partner.

"Of course. Happy Family Day," she said, and he smiled.

"Happy Family Day," he responded. He practiced with his new bow and gloves for a while, then we both agreed it was time to find Maria and Fury to give them their gifts.

They wandered through HQ looking for the Director and his right-hand agent, carrying their gifts, and eventually found both of them in Fury's office talking about something in hushed tones. The two agents just walked in without knocking, since that's just what they do, and Fury and Maria practically jumped out of their skin.

"What?" Fury snapped, and Tasha was taken aback. Her head swam slightly and her vision blurred, and for a moment she saw Coulson going into surgery as he died, being tested on for a week while begging to be allowed to die, and eventually surviving to form a new team, consisting of Grant Ward, Melinda May, Jemma Simmons, Leo Fitz, and a computer hacker named Skye. The vision only lasted a few moments, but it was long enough to realize what they were talking about. Her head swam once more as she came back to reality, and saw Fury, Clint, and Maria watching her worriedly.

"You're talking about Coulson," she told them flatly, and Clint looked at her in confusion while Maria and Fury both paled.

"What are you talking about?" Maria asked slowly, and Tasha raised an eyebrow at them.

"How long did you expect to hide this from us? Did you really think we wouldn't find out? Coulson's alive. I saw it," she stated, and Fury sighed.

"We didn't want to keep it from you, but it was easier if you just didn't know until you had to," he told them, and Clint practically exploded.

"It's Family Day, and you didn't want us to know our family member was alive?" he all but yelled, and Tasha grabbed his hand to calm him down.

"It was touch and go for a long time, and he doesn't know what happened yet so it was just easier if we didn't tell you," Maria said slowly, and both master assassins had to reign in their anger.

"Fine. Anyway, here," Tasha said, handing each of them their gifts.

She got Maria a new pair of boots that were really cute and comfortable enough for work or civilian life, and Fury got a new pen, equipped with a flashlight, a mini laser, and invisible ink should he need it. It was even monogrammed. They both really liked their gifts. Clint got Fury a new eyepatch that Tasha had embroidered with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s logo, and he got Maria a simple locket with a group picture of her, Tasha, Clint, Fury, and Coulson in it, taken on Family Day last year. Fury got Natasha a new gun, and got Clint a set of arrows to go with the bow Tasha had gotten him. Maria gave Clint a tux jacket that wouldn't restrict movement in his arms, and was warm enough to wear outside in the winter, but not so hot that he would die in the summer. Like his gloves, it was made of several layers of durable black silk, which actually makes it fairly bulletproof. She gave Tasha a set of throwing knives, and they were decorated with her signature hourglass. When they were done, Tasha went to get the gifts they had gotten for Coulson before Loki attacked, and asked Maria to give them to him when she saw him. She agreed, and they took the traditional family day picture before heading their separate ways. Clint and Natasha headed back towards the shooting range, and when they got there, her head immediately began to swim and her vision blurred.

_Natasha was 11 years old, and had just arrived at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s HQ with a 21-year-old Clint Barton. He had made the decision not to kill her, as requested by her father, and now had to explain his reasoning to Fury. She listened as the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the archer yelled at each other, Clint yelling that she was too young and too talented to just be killed in cold blood, and Fury yelling that she was a cold-blooded assassin who would never be on their side. In the end, Clint won the argument, and Tasha was allowed to stay._

_A few weeks later, she was sparring alone while Clint watched, as it was his job to raise her, and Maria, Coulson, and Fury all came in to watch her progress. When she was done, Maria and Coulson nodded to each other then looked at Fury, who sighed and gave up on whatever argument he still had. The three came over to where the archer and the mini-assassin were getting water, and Clint looked up at them curiously. Tasha still wasn't comfortable around Fury, so she kept her head down, despite knowing she scared the Director and was comfortable around Maria and Coulson. Maria was the one who broke the silence._

_"Natasha," she said gently, and the little girl looked up at them._

_"Yes?" Tasha asked quietly, a touch of her native accent slipping into the word. Coulson smiled encouragingly, and Fury's face was as stoic as always._

_"Since you're staying with us, and it seems like Clint will be raising you, we decided it was time you officially became a part of our little family," she said, and the four adults watched in amusement as the little girl's eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped in shock._

_"Really?" she practically whispered, and Coulson chuckled slightly._

_"Of course. You're one of us now. You won't get a badge yet since you're still too young, but soon," Coulson promised, and Tasha hugged them each tightly, including Fury._

_"My first family," she whispered to no one in particular, and Clint smiled as a few happy tears pooled in her eyes._

She came back to reality to find Clint holding her worriedly, and she smiled at him to assure him that she was okay. When he finally let her stand on her own, she turned to him and took a breath.

"I saw the day we became a family. The reason we celebrate Family Day," she said with a smile, and Clint grinned.

"That was a great day," he said, pulling in his best friend and foster-daughter for a hug. She returned it fiercely, glad that her family had survived all the years of near-death experiences and arguments that would naturally assume from the combination of Tasha and Clint's mischievous personalities.

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**So, what did ya'll think? Review and let me know!**

**Thanks for reading! Snowflakes of love and fun to you all!**


	4. Chapter 4: An Unwelcome Sight

**Hey everyone! Omg, an actual update! Not just an Authors Note! I finally finished this, and I hope it's up to you guys' standards. I only got two reviews saying to continue this, so I hope all of you still want this story to continue. From now on, I'll try to update when a chapter gets reviews. That means more than one or two, though, so if you want a new chapter, tell me! Or else I'm going to think that this story is for nothing.**

**Also, there's a rape trigger warning at the end of the chapter. If that bothers you, skip over the italicized part. But this chapter is mainly about a human trafficking ring. If it bothers you, stop reading now. If not of that is an issue, ignore this and keep reading.**

**Enjoy the chapter everyone!**

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**Chapter 4: An Unwelcome Sight**

Although it has only been three months since the Battle of New York, the Avengers are beginning to get bored. There hasn't been a mission or anything for them to avenge, and while most people would take that as a welcome break, the team doesn't know what to do with themselves. Natasha, Steve, and Clint have been sent on a few missions, usually together, to teach their war hero teammate how to get the job done, but those missions were so simple that the two trained assassins could complete them in their sleep and get everyone out safely. Even Cap was beginning to get bored with them.

When Tasha and Clint aren't on missions, she has him get a lot of fruit and throw it at her for two minutes while she slices them with an Asgardian sword she got as a gift from Thor. She was inspired by a game on her iPhone.

As for Tony, everyone knows nothing good can come from him being bored. He managed to blow up his lab enough times that Bruce came back to try and keep him occupied, but that ended with the two scientists finding new ways to blow stuff up. They usually find better ways of doing the stuff on their new favorite show, _Mythbusters_. Pepper has officially given up on trying to babysit them.

Thor comes to visit every so often to make sure Fury doesn't have a mission for them and to see if Jane is in the area. She never is, so he usually spends his time with Steve while he's here because he can never locate her.

None of the guys know about Tasha's visions, and at the moment, she's fine with that. She's in control of them now, and she doesn't think it'll be a problem any time soon.

Finally, when Thor is back in town and the team is about to join Natasha in her real-life Fruit Ninja games as Tony finds non-life-threatening ways to incorporate bombs, Fury called the six of them into his office for an assignment. As the six of them found their way to the Director's spacious office, the air around them buzzed with excitement.

"I have a job for you," Fury said as he handed each of them a file. Tony began to flip through it while the Director explained. "There's a human trafficking group based in Paris, undercover as a modeling agency. They've been growing to extend across all of Europe, and have been making deals with other trafficking groups to gain power. They've managed to absorb all of the smaller groups, and all but one of the larger groups. This larger group is their only competition, and we've heard rumors that they are going to make a deal to merge together. Should this happen, we could have wars on our hands."

"So we're supposed to shut it down?" Tony asked, a slight edge to his tone revealing his confusion and anger.

"Yes. If everything goes according to plan, it'll be an easy job and last two weeks tops. Romanoff is going to go undercover inside the organization as a free-lance model looking for an agency, with Barton as her stylist. She'll do a few trial shoots as she builds trust within the company, and land herself a job. From there she'll build trust and make sure she's noticed by everyone. The goal is to get her and Barton inside the meeting, and when she gives the signal, you take them down. While you wait for the signal, you'll be in different areas. Rogers will be undercover inside Paris, Banner and Thor will be undercover in opposite areas of the city, and Stark will be outside the city," the Director explained, and everyone nodded but Clint.

"Fury, are you sure this is going to work?" he asked slowly, making sure to choose his words carefully. "It seems like there are a lot of risks."

"Barton, all of your missions with Romanoff have risks. It's part of the job description," Fury stated. Clint was about to speak up again when Tasha silenced him with a look.

"Clint, it's fine. It's an easy mission. I have total control. I just have to be noticed," she reassured him, choosing her words carefully. Clint finally sighed and nodded.

"Good. Any other questions?" Fury demanded, and Bruce raised his hand.

"Just one. Why are we being sent on this mission?" he asked, and Fury sighed.

"We've sent other agents to stop them before, but each one has disappeared. It's not only girls, either. We've sent in some of our best men as undercover security guards or male models, any job we think they'll get, really, and each have gone missing. Only one girl was seen again, and we aren't sure it was her. Her hair was dyed a different color, she looked like she'd had some work done, and she had no memories of S.H.I.E.L.D. at all. We tried a few DNA tests but they all came back as inconclusive," he said, and everyone instantly felt the weight of the mission at hand. Clint was more uncomfortable with the mission than ever, but Natasha silently assured him it would be fine. The team snuck glances at each other to see how everyone was reacting, and Tasha certainly did not miss how Tony looked at Clint a little longer than he looked at the others, with a little more concern in his eyes.

The team was dismissed, and within the hour they were flying to Paris, reading through the files they had on the group. Something about the group tugged at Tasha's thoughts, and she read through the file until her head began to spin and she finally fell asleep.

* * *

The next day, Natasha woke up in the condo S.H.I.E.L.D. had secured for her and Clint and made her way to her bathroom silently. For this mission, she needed to have black hair with gold tips, so she dyed her hair accordingly and put in the contacts that would make her eyes the same golden shade her mother's were. After that, she did her makeup and got dressed. Given who she was trying to impress, she decided that something tight and revealing was the best way to get their attention. She wore a black mini-skirt (that was more of a wide belt in her opinion) with a black and gold, backless halter top that emphasized her cleavage and made wearing a bra impossible, with a pair of gold stiletto heels that elongated her legs. One of the heels had a hidden syringe with a paralytic in it, ready to be used in case of emergency, and the other had a wireless transmitter so Tony could hack them undetected. Finally, she put a pair of elegant, black and gold earrings in which would function as her comm links.

Clint had dyed his hair black with purple highlights, and Nat helped him with his makeup. She used a purple eyeliner and did a light, purple and black smokey eye for his eyeshadow. He put on a purple button down dress shirt (which Nat rolled up the sleeves and left a few of the top buttons unbuttoned) a pair of black dress pants, and black dress shoes. To complete the look, he had a purple and black makeup kit and a necklace Tony made him, with a black and purple yin-yang tree design. The necklace had both a transmitter and an emergency signal in it, so he could call the guys for backup just in case anything went south and they were needed early.

The pair was ready by 8:30, and made their way through the streets of Paris to the modeling agency for Nat's 9:00 appointment under the name Kitty. They arrived with five minutes to spare and Nat used that time to make sure her hair was perfect and adjust her top.

At 9:00 on the dot, a tall, blonde man with hazel eyes walked in, wearing an impeccable black Armani suit with a black tie and red cuff links. He was handsome, Nat had to give him that, but something about him tugged at her mind, though she couldn't quite place it. He walked over to her with his hand outstretched, with Nat took without hesitating.

"You must be Kitty," the man said with a smile. "My name is Thomas."

"Hello Thomas. This is my stylist, Francis," Nat introduced Clint, who immediately shook Thomas' hand.

"Welcome to you both. Now, if you'll follow me, we'll get started," Thomas said, and Nat didn't miss the appraising look he gave her outfit. The pair followed him back through the door he had entered through and into a large office where there were at least ten other men waiting. They were of all different ethnicities, some with wild hair colors, but they were all impeccably dressed, just like Thomas was. As Clint and Natasha were sitting down, the blonde man introduced everyone, and the meeting began.

"Well, Kitty, your résumé is certainly impressive. Why do you want to work here again?" a man sitting across the table from her, Aaron, asked her.

"I began to feel too much like a doll at my last agency. Their rules were too restrictive and I really wanted to grow further than they would let me. I'd heard great things about this agency, about how you encourage your models to grow in ways they could never even dream of growing, and decided that that's what I want," Natasha told the room, falling into the persona of Kitty flawlessly. The men all nodded approvingly, and the pair knew they were in. They asked a few more questions, mainly regarding how far she had gone before and where she wants to go, which Kitty answered perfectly, and they all agreed to send her in to her first shoot.

A red-haired man named Sebastian led the two undercover agents to the location of the shoot and explained how everything would go down.

"We want to see what she can do. The first couple of shots will be taken as she is, then we'll go from there to see if she's really ready for what we want from our models," he told them, and Kitty immediately knew they wanted to see how much she trusted them. She recalled that they'd sent agents in before who all disappeared, and realized they must have made a mistake regarding trust, usually by not being trusting enough. She knew Clint would yell at her later for being reckless, but she would deal with that when she got there.

She nodded to show that she understood, and Clint did a few touch ups to her makeup before she walked in front of the camera. The camera man was kind of sleazy in a "I hang these photos in my room and jerk off to them at night" way, but Kitty shook off the feeling and began the shoot. It started simple at first, a few head shots and a couple of full body shots. Then they started asking her for more.

"Can you show a little more skin?" Sebastian asked from where he was watching the shoot.

_As if this outfit didn't already show enough skin_, Kitty thought, but flashed them a brilliant smile and untied her top, leaving her full breasts and toned stomach bare for the camera. She tossed the black and gold fabric to Clint, who caught it and gave her a 'be careful' look that she skillfully ignored by giving all of her attention to the camera.

She followed their directions to find the most flattering and seductive poses, and when they asked for more skin again, she shimmied out of her black belt skirt and tossed that to Clint, leaving her in only her lacy, black and gold thong. At this point, more of the men from her meeting-including Thomas and Aaron-began to enter the room to watch her progress.

"Will you go all the way?" Thomas asked her, coming close to her, and Kitty flashed him a dazzling smile and slipped out of the last bit of clothing on her body, leaving every inch of herself completely bare in front of men Natasha knew were human traffickers. Kitty, however, neither knew that nor cared, since she knew doing this was the quickest way to earn their trust. She felt her best friend's eyes on her as she turned her body slightly towards the camera and tucked the thong into Thomas' pocket, all the while keeping her eyes on his, and heard the camera snap the picture. He was hard, she knew, and she could see the lust darkening his hazel eyes, but he backed away and she finished the shoot without a hitch.

* * *

Yes, Clint had yelled at her when they got back to the apartment that night, but Kitty's actions had earned Natasha a better spot in the company than anyone could have imagined. She had their trust, for the moment, and if she kept it up, she would be into the meeting without a second thought.

She knew that this made her job much more dangerous, but that only meant she had to be perfect and do whatever they asked. The majority of her shoots required her to be almost or completely naked, often with other people after how she had played up having Thomas in that first shot. Many of the shots included something sexual, such as sucking a dick, actually fucking in several different positions (often until she faked an orgasm), or some BDSM kinks where she would be tied up or gagged in one way or another with her legs spread wide. Clint didn't like it, but he never protested because it would blow their cover.

At night, they would get updates from the team, saying everything was going exactly as planned, and Tony had been hacking their system and sending everything except the pictures to SHIELD, unless they were directly linked to the trafficking ring. The guys would all tell her to be careful and cautious and whatnot, but Natasha/Kitty would just tell them that being cautious would blow her cover. That usually managed to shut them up, even though none of them liked it, including her.

The day of the meeting was coming ever closer, and the day before, Kitty was called into the office where she first became a part of the company alone, to see all the men she recognized as the "higher ups" sitting waiting for her. Thomas invited her to take the seat next to him, and she did. As she sat down, she touched her right earring subtly, turning on the disguised comm link while making it look like she was tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, which she did all the time when she was in front of these men.

"So, Kitty," Aaron began, "we have an opportunity for you that will offer you another chance to grow."

"You do?" Kitty asked, excitement coloring her tone as she sat up a little straighter. That earned her a chuckle from the men at the table, and Thomas put his hand on the small of her back.

"We do," the blonde man said as he began rubbing circles on her bare back. "You see, we're having an important meeting tomorrow that will hopefully convince some important people to become our partners. They own a modeling agency very similar to ours in areas of South America, Africa, and Northern Asia, which would give talented girls like you a much bigger audience to model for. Since you've quickly proven to be one of our best, we would like you to come to the meeting and give them a live demonstration to seal the deal."

Kitty's breath caught in her throat, and Thomas' hand stilled for a moment. The was the in she needed to shut them down, and if she blew it now, the entire mission would be compromised. As Thomas began to lift his hand from her back, she turned to him with her signature, dazzling smile.

"Of course I'll do it," she said, and Thomas smiled down at her.

"Perfect," he said, and resumed rubbing circles on her back as the men in the room discussed the details of her role in the meeting. The meeting was scheduled for 12:00 noon the next day, meaning she had to be ready by 11:30. They would have an outfit laid out for her in her dressing room, so she didn't have to worry about what to wear. All she had to do was smile, look pretty, sit on Thomas' lap during the talking parts, and give the demonstration the same way she does her photo shoots. It was simple enough, so Kitty simply smiled, nodded, and said she understood once the meeting was over.

* * *

"I don't like this, Nat," Clint said as Natasha was painting her nails black with gold accents and he was playing with an arrow.

"You never like anything I have to do," she reminded him.

"Because the stuff you have to do is usually unnecessarily dangerous," he retorted, and Nat just rolled her eyes.

"Clint, I'll be fine. The guys know all the details of the meeting, I'll send the signal once we know who's there, and we'll take them down. It'll be easy," Nat promised him, causing him to sigh.

"That's what you always say," Clint said. Nat laughed quietly and wrapped her arms around him, being careful not to smudge her nails.

"And I'm always right, aren't I?" she asked, and Clint just tapped her nose with the flat of his arrow, making her laugh as she backed off.

"Usually. But not always," he reminded her, and now it was her turn to sigh.

"I'll be fine, dad," Tasha said, only a slight note of teasing in her voice. He simply shook his head and pulled her in for a hug, tucking her head under his chin.

"I know. Just be careful. These guys are dangerous," he said into her dark hair before she pulled back to look at him.

"I promise," she told her foster-dad, and he smiled.

"I think I'm starting to understand what your mother looked like," he said suddenly, and she smiled up at him.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Now let's go. I need to be there by 11:00 so I can be ready by 11:30," she said, and the two of them headed out.

* * *

It was 11:30, and Kitty was all dolled up and perched on the table in front of the chair Thomas and her would occupy in less than half an hour while the men finished getting everything ready. Her black hair was curled and half of it was pinned up with decorative gold hair pins and black crystals that reflected the ceiling lights, and her gold tips were front and center. Her makeup was done with a striking smokey eye, gold eyeliner, red lips, and just a bit of blush to highlight her cheekbones. As for her outfit, she wasn't sure it could even be called that. She was dressed in a black push-up bra with over the top gold beading and gold ruffles lining the edges, a black skirt that tied at her left hip and draped down almost to her right knee, with the same gold beading and ruffle and her "top." Neither outfit piece covered much of anything and she wasn't wearing anything under either, but it was what they wanted her to wear for this.

She was wearing her gold stilettos, and she discreetly tapped her heels together to signal the guys. Of course Tony would make her heels a "There's no place like home" signal, so she had to tap them together three times, but she would talk about that with him when she was out of this mess. Just as she finished, Thomas came over to her and rested his hand on her knee.

"Ready for today?" the blonde asked her, and Kitty smiled up at her brilliantly.

"I am if you are," she replied smoothly, and he squeezed her thigh gently.

"Good. Because we're almost ready. Do you want to review anything?" Thomas asked, and Kitty shrugged.

"It's pretty straightforward. You talk for a while with me on your lap, then I give a demonstration in the middle of the room, which at the moment would be on the table, then I come sit back down and you seal the deal," Kitty said confidently, earning her a smile.

"Exactly. I'll help you up on the table, where the center will be cleared, and you just do your thing. Make them agree to the deal, okay?" he clarified. Kitty smiled up at him and nodded.

"Of course," she said sweetly, and Thomas pulled her to his chest for a hug. For a second, she slipped back to Natasha and was taken by surprise, but she immediately regained control and hugged him back.

"Now, they'll be here in a few minutes, so let's make sure we're ready. Would you like some champagne?" he asked her as he took a seat and waved over a man that she recognized as an intern, but whose name she didn't know. Kitty nodded and he told the man (really more of a boy) to bring two glasses of champagne. Once he was gone, Thomas pulled her into his lap and the two settled into a comfortable silence while they waited for their drinks.

Their guests arrived exactly at 12:00, just moments after their drinks did, and Thomas nudged Kitty up to go greet them. She followed his lead and stood just behind him as he shook their hands, then curtsied like a dancer would after a performance. Thomas watched her curiously from the corner of his hazel eyes, but he didn't try to stop her or tell her off, and instead approved of her actions. When everyone had been welcomed and made their way to their seats, drinks were brought in for everyone. The entire room sat down, Kitty curled up on Thomas' lap as if that was where she belonged, and the meeting began.

The details of the meeting were boring to Kitty, but important to Natasha, so while Kitty focused on Thomas' hand rubbing circles on the top of her right hip and his other resting on the inside of her exposed, left thigh, Nat paid attention to what was being said. The group was obviously being cautious, choosing their words so it could be easy enough to say it was just talk about modeling. They used phrases like "send the girls someplace where they can really become someone" or "their looks alone would earn lots of money, but if they have skill…" It was after this last phrase that Thomas really perked up and gestured to Kitty.

"Allow her to give a brief demonstration," he said with a smile, nudging her off of his lap and helping her onto the table before any of the men could refuse.

She smiled brilliantly at them and began her routine. They had (thankfully) agreed on one of her longer sets that showed off much more of what she could do, so less five minutes in every man in the room had a noticeable bulge in their pants and she hadn't taken anything off yet. That was also when a loud crash shook the building, but many of the dumber men were too captivated by the dark haired beauty to notice her smile change slightly or even hear the disturbance. Natasha did, however, and knew her teammates had finally joined the party.

As if on cue, Steve burst into the room they were in, and Tasha immediately dropped Kitty and became the Black Widow. She didn't have a gun on her (since the scraps she was wearing couldn't hide a thing) but she had the syringe in her heel and used that to her full advantage. She fought off every man that escaped Steve's wrath and while she almost always delivered fatal blows-utterly destroying her heels-there was one man who managed to get too close.

Nat cried out from shock when she felt a hand knot itself in her dark hair and pull hard, dragging her off the table and onto the floor in one fluid movement. She looked up into a pair of furious hazel eyes that had once respected her as Thomas loomed over her, his hand still wrapped in her hair. He pulled again, harder this time, ripping the gold pins from where they were holding her black curls in place. They fell around her face unceremoniously, and he latched onto them tightly, ensuring she would feel pain. She tried hard to fight back, but when his hand moved roughly towards her very bare sensitive region and she realized his pants were undone so his erection was in full view, her head swam and her vision blurred, and she lost all connection to the world around her.

_She had just turned 10, the first time it happened. She had been sold out by her boss on a mission when her target was given a large enough dose of the only drug able to affect her. He had tied her to the bed and punished her severely, unleashing what she knew was all of the anger her handlers felt towards her for not following orders exactly. When he had finished, he simply left her there, and she waited for agonizing hours before the Red Room would come get her._

_After that night, it became a regular punishment for her. Usually, Natalia's punishments included watching as the girls she was close to in her training group were beaten for her own mistakes, but anyone they would hurt had either been killed while Natalia watched or died on a mission gone wrong. The young girl had learned to distance herself from the others after that, making sure that there was no one else that could be hurt because of her._

_Once her handlers realized that this punishment was a way of showing the girl that her body wasn't hers and that they could receive pleasure from it, it became the only form of punishment used, and she was moved from the communal sleeping area with the other girls to a private room in the same corridor as her handlers. She quickly learned that begging or crying got her nowhere, and that her pain wouldn't end until whichever of her handlers was punishing her decided he'd had enough. For any serious offenses she might commit, and she did once, when she refused to kill a young girl who had failed to fuck her targets the same way Natalia had, her punishment was public, so all of the older trainees and agents could watch, and treated as a reward for the older men who did well on their missions or successfully completed their training. The redhead was forced to swallow her pride-among other unsavory things-and accept their rough administrations. By the time they were done with her, she had been sticky and utterly violated, but was forced to thank all of them for teaching her her place._

_When she met Clint, it was her 11th birthday, and she didn't want to go back there. There was no one there that she cared about, and she knew she would only be punished-most likely publicly again-for failing her mission, which she couldn't bear to go back to. For as young as she was, she was stronger mentally than most men she'd ever meet (including the one that would become her boss), but the thought of facing it again nearly broke her. She begged him to kill her, but instead he brought her to his agency and treated her like she was his daughter. The first few months-if she was perfectly honest, the first year-she would look over her shoulder whenever she was alone, expecting someone to come in and punish her again. They never did, and when she finally told Clint, they swore it would never happen again…_

Her vision swam as she came back to the ugly sight that was the present, but before she could try to do anything to stop his painfully harsh touches, she heard a quiet _whoosh_ of air past her ear and saw an arrow lodge itself deeply in an angry hazel eye, instantly killing the man assaulting her. Nat quickly came to her senses and shoved his corpse away from her, standing up and looking around the room.

She realized that her teammates had either taken out or captured everyone in the building that didn't work for SHIELD, and that she was the only one who had been compromised in any way. Clint immediately noticed the haunted look in her eyes, despite the contacts, and wrapped the jacket he had chosen to wear that day around her shoulders.

He guided her to the jet JARVIS had sent to their location silently and handed her a change of clothes. It was a pair of her softest grey yoga pants, one of the soft t-shirts she had stolen from Clint years ago with the Ohana quote from Lilo and Stitch on it with an adorable drawing of Stitch looking up at it (which she had always suspected he had secretly bought for her and knew all along that she would steal it), her favorite pair of fluffy white socks, and a set of underwear. She took it and went into the bathroom on the plane-which was actually huge and could probably fit at least the entire team comfortably-and changed quickly. She threw the outfit she had been wearing in the trash can on the plane, knowing someone would dispose of it later, washed the dye out of her hair, and removed her contacts and makeup as the rest of the team piled on the plane and took their seats, with Tony as the pilot.

Once she felt like she had scrubbed Kitty away and was Tasha again, she padded out of the bathroom and saw Clint sitting alone and slightly away from the others on a large seat that was more of a couch. He beckoned her over with a nod of his head, and she went and curled into his side. They didn't need to say anything. She knew eventually he would say "I told you so," and while Clint did want to, he knew it wasn't her fault she had been in the position he found her in. They both knew there would plenty of time to discuss what had happened when she was ready, so he smoothed her still wet curls off her forehead as she closed her eyes. The only father she had ever known held her close as she drifted into a fitful sleep, shielding her from prying eyes and keeping her safe while they flew back to New York.

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**So, what did you guys think?**

**I'm going to warn you guys now. With what I have planned, this story will get very dark very fast. The stuff from this chapter is going to be a recurring theme, and I'll be as descriptive as you guys will be okay with. If you're not okay with detail, TELL ME IN YOUR REVIEW. If I don't get any reviews saying that it's a problem, I'll just write what the plot requires and leave trigger warnings in the beginning of each chapter.**

**Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it! Snowflakes of love and fun to you all!**


	5. Chapter 5: A Dangerous Decision

**Hey everyone! New chapter time! This is for Hogwartsstories, who left a review saying I should continue.**

**I'll tell you this: I've already written through most of chapter 10, and I don't really like the story. The characterization just isn't what I was hoping for, and it's going to get really dark. I feel like I'm writing AoU Natasha instead of Iron Man 3, Avengers, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier Natasha, and it's bothering me. If you guys like it and want to see where it goes, leave a simple "yes" in your review. If I get at least three yeses, I'll continue. If not, I'm going to just take it down. I'm not going to keep writing a story that no one likes, so.**

**Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. For anyone who cares about the timeline, it starts in August and ends in September. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 5: A Dangerous Decision**

Natasha had been detached during the debriefing with Fury, and while she relayed all the important information, there was no inflection in her tone and her usually expressive, emerald eyes were cold and haunted. Clint was relieved her eyes weren't completely dead, but the sight of them twisted his gut as he recognized the look she hadn't given anyone since she was 11. Fury was shocked to see it again (he had been the one to receive it the most) but made no comment on it until the end of the debriefing.

"If that is all, you are dismissed. Natasha, Clint, stay for a minute," the Director ordered, and the guys all paused, not wanting to leave their teammates behind. A single pointed look from Fury sent them all out, and the two assassins remained where they were, with Natasha seated across the desk from Fury with Clint standing right behind her protectively. For a long moment, no one said a word, until Fury cleared his throat and leaned forward on the desk, concern in his eye.

"Natasha, what happened in there?" her boss, friend, and adopted family member asked her quietly. There was an unspoken agreement that had been in place since she became a part of the family that she didn't have to talk about anything that made her uncomfortable, but they would be there to listen if she wanted them to.

"Clint, sit down," the redhead sighed, and closed her eyes. The archer did as she said, and the two main waited patiently to hear what Natasha would say. She rested her fingertips against her temples and tried to figure out where to start.

"Fury, you know how I've been having visions? Like the one I had of Coulson?" the talented agent asked slowly without opening her eyes, and Fury knit his brows together in concern.

"Yes. I thought you had those under control though," he replied, and she felt Clint's stormy blue eyes and Fury's assessing brown one watching her as if she would disappear any second.

"So did I. But he triggered something, something I thought I had buried long ago. I hadn't forgotten it, but I had taken the pain away from it, or so I thought..." she said quietly, trailing off at the end. The room was silent for a minute, and Natasha opened her eyes to see a very confused Fury and a shocked Clint.

"Is that what you saw…?" her foster dad asked her, horrified, and Tasha bit her lip, blinking away any tears that threatened to form.

"Yes," she said shortly, and cut off whatever question Fury was about to ask her about it. "They aren't getting better, Clint. You've been trying to monitor them, trying to help me control them, but it's not working. Science can't fix this." Clint started to argue with her immediately.

"Yeah but we're not scientists, Tasha! We-"

"What we've been doing won't fix this. We don't have anyone we can ask about this, since both of my parents are dead and there aren't any known Asgardian seers on Earth, and what's happening to me is the stuff of fairy tales," Natasha stated, successfully cutting him off, and he frowned at her.

"Well, what are you planning?" Fury asked her, apparently deciding to ask Clint to clarify later.

"I need to go to Asgard," she said simply, and Clint was instantly on his feet.

"No. Not an option," he said, an air of finality in his tone that Natasha decidedly ignored.

"Clint, I don't have much of a choice. The team can't help me," she started, and Clint interrupted her.

"They can if you'd just let them try, Tasha! They don't even know what's going on because you won't tell them! And you know what will happen if you go to Asgard!" he argued, his voice rising rapidly. Nat stood up and leveled him with a cold, deadly glare she only ever used on targets or Tony.

"Don't yell at me. It's my life. I won't tell them because if I do, they'll look at me like a shattered, wind-up ballerina who's been put back together too many times. Yes, I know what will happen if I go there. It'll probably be worse than it was with my mom, given that she ran away and had me, and Asgard has a thing for punishing parents by using their children. But I have to go there. It's the only place that will get me any answers, and the only way I can talk to Loki to see what he knows about this," she said, her tone cool and even, not giving anything away. Fury held up his hand as Clint was about to start yelling again.

"When are you wanting to leave?" her boss asked, and Nat turned to him.

"Two weeks. That's how long you're supposed to give in advance for quitting, anyway," she said. Clint sighed.

"Tasha, please. Think about this. Are you just going to leave without saying anything?" the archer asked her, his sharp eyes assessing her every movement, and the ginger assassin whipped around to face him.

"What kind of a person do you think I am? Of course I'll tell them! I won't just pack up and disappear forever! But they can't help me!" she cried. Right at that moment, the door burst open and hit the wall hard, and the other Avengers stormed in, led by Tony and Thor.

"Nat, we could help you if you let us try," Tony said, crossing his arms and raising one eyebrow. "When have we ever turned down a fight?"

"Tony, you're supposed to be halfway back to the Tower by now. This fight isn't yours," Nat started, but to everyone's surprise, Bruce stepped forward.

"Natasha, it may not be our fight, but that doesn't mean we won't help you get through it. We're a team," the doctor said calmly, moving aside to allow Steve to step forward. Before he can speak, however, Nat held up her hands. Not in surrender, but to shut them all up.

"Fine. I'll leave in one month. If you can find a way to fix me, I'll stay. If not, I'm going to Asgard. Deal?" she said, her tone warning them that this was the most she'll budge on the subject. They all reluctantly agreed, including Fury, and she nodded her head once. "Good. I'll see you all back at the Tower and fill you in then."

With that, she stormed out of the room and went somewhere to clear her head. Her heart told her that while going to Asgard was her only option, it would be as bad as going back to the Red Room all those years ago would have been. As she left, she vaguely heard Clint sigh and tell the guys that it wasn't his story to tell, but she was gone before she could hear anything else.

* * *

When she finally made it back to the Tower, the sun had set and starts were beginning to shine, but her entire team, plus Fury, Maria, and-to her great surprise-Coulson, were sitting up waiting for her, with drinks in their hands. Tony had made her a cup of tea exactly how she liked it (probably thanks to Clint), and as the group drank, Nat recounted her childhood. She left out the more, explicit, details, but they got the gist of what had happened to her, and what was going on now. She skirted the details of her latest vision, only saying enough to make it clear why she had been so upset, and finally she had told them all there was to know.

"Lady Natasha," Thor began, resting his large hand on her shoulder, his blue eyes filled with sadness. "Going to Asgard would not end well for you, and I would not be able of much help. I understand your desire for answers, but perhaps we could find another way."

"That's why I'm not planning on leaving for a month. It gives us time to try looking for answers, but if we can't, I can't stay here and have no control of when my visions come. The risks of me going to Asgard are a lot less than the risks of you guys getting hurt on a mission because I was compromised in a vision, like what happened today, and I can't live like that. I would rather face the punishment for what my mother did," she said quietly, and the entire room was silent for a time.

Finally, Tony jumped up, announced he would be in his lab, and ran off to start hunting for a way to help his teammate. Bruce sighed and followed him, muttering something about how someone needed to take care of the billionaire as he left. Thor promised to try to find answers of his own without alerting his father to her existence and location, which they all knew was easier said than done. Nonetheless, he went up to the roof and called the Bifrost to take him home. Fury, Coulson, and Maria all hugged her as they left, each promising to use their resources within SHIELD to find a way to help her. Maria had even promised to set up a girls day with Melinda and Pepper, to which Coulson said that Skye and Jemma would probably love to tag along as well. Natasha just smiled at their attempts to help, not wanting to hope it might work. Steve offered to spar with her, to take her mind off things, and she gratefully accepted. Clint went with them too, and the three of the sparred until they practically fell asleep on the mat.

* * *

The month passed quickly, almost too quickly for everyone's tastes, and when it became clear that there were no answers to be found on Earth, they all knew what would happen. When Natasha's deadline came, she walked into the Avengers common area wearing a pair of skin-tight black jeans, a loose red blouse, a black leather jacket, the arrow necklace Clint had given her, and her favorite black and red wedges, with a small, black bag bag filled with everything she cared about (a little picture album of her family and her team, one glove from a pair Coulson had gotten her for her first family day which was now too small, a jewelry set that Clint, Maria, Coulson, and Fury had gotten her as a group gift for her 16th birthday with a pair of emerald earrings, a necklace, a bracelet, and a ring, and the necklace with her mother's wedding ring on it). She was surprised to see not only her teammates and Pepper, but her family and Coulson's whole team, too. Thor had returned the night before, saying no one could give him answers, but he had realized they all knew about his friend and her troubles.

"Brunch is almost ready," Pepper announced as soon as the redhead entered the room, not wanting the goodbyes to happen too early. "I hired a chef for the morning once Maria mentioned how many people were planning on coming."

"Thanks, Pep," Nat said with a sad smile, and turned to Clint. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Her best friend nodded, concern evident in his blue eyes, and followed her into the corridor, out of earshot of their friends.

"Tasha, what's wrong?" he asked her, and she wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm gonna miss you. But don't try to come visit unless you hear from me first. I don't know exactly what'll happen, but it'll likely be worse than what happened to my mom and I don't want you to have to see that. I'll visit if I can, and come back home as soon as it's possible," she promised, fighting back tears, and Clint's strong arms tightened around her small frame.

"I'll miss you too. I promise I won't visit," he said, his heart breaking at the thought, knowing that this day could be the last time he'll ever see the girl he raised as his own daughter.

"Thank you. Now promise me one more thing," she started, looking up at him, her emerald eyes glistening with tears she refused to shed, and he nodded quickly.

"Of course," he said, fighting off his own tears, and Tasha flashed him a mischievous smile that he had seen so many times before.

"Hook up with Tony before I leave. He's really into you, and I know you've had a thing for him for a while," she said, a slight teasing note to her otherwise serious voice, and his eyes widened slightly. He started stuttering, but she raised a hand to cut him off.

"I want you to do it before I leave so that I know you'll be happy with someone. Also so I can threaten Tony's life on the off chance that he ever tries to hurt you," she said with a caring smile, and he pulled her in for a tight hug.

"Ok. I promise," he told her. She tightened her arms around him, and he felt her tremble slightly as she fought the urge to cry. She didn't want her teammates to remember her in tears. She wanted them to remember her for the things she was capable of, and the good things she tried to do.

They stayed like that for a long time, until they heard Thor cheering at the prospect of "a Midgardian feast of breakfast delicacies" and knew brunch was ready. Nat composed herself quickly, while Clint didn't bother, and they knew it would be a long day.

The large group ate for what seemed like hours, simply savoring the meal since no one was in any hurry for it to end. Around noon, Tasha was sitting off to the side, talking to Maria, May, Skye, Jemma, and Pepper, when there was a commotion among the guys. They all turned to see Clint and Tony making out in the far corner of the room, just inside the doorway, and Tasha immediately catcalled and broke into a huge grin.

"I take it you had something to do with that," Maria stated, focusing on the redhead and nodding towards the pair.

"But of course," Nat said, still smiling, and Melinda chuckled.

"But you hated Tony," she said, and her friend and fellow agent rolled her eyes.

"May, that doesn't matter. He likes Tony, and Tony likes him, and I wanted to make sure he would be happy while I'm gone. Plus, now I can threaten Tony's life if he ever tries to hurt him," the fiery redhead stated simply, her green eyes watching her foster father and the scientist with a subtle touch of sadness.

"You're really cool," Skye said, obviously awe-struck at being in the same room as all of the Avengers and talking to the only girl on the team.

"Yeah, I wish we had been able to meet you earlier," Jemma spoke up, regret filling her voice, and Natasha snapped her head around to look them all in the eye.

"Listen to me. This is not goodbye, ok. I'll come home, I promise. It just might take a while. It'll be like an extended undercover mission," she said, and all of the women sighed but nodded.

"You're risking everything, you know that, don't you?" Pepper asked, and the Black Widow sighed.

"Of course I know that. But I'll get the answers I need, and then I'll find a way to come home. I may not have an extraction plan, but I never have one. I'll figure out my own way back," she assured them.

"Just don't cause an intergalactic war in the process," Maria cautioned, and Tasha laughed.

"When have I ever done that?" she asked sweetly, and the three women who had known her for years rolled their eyes before she changed the subject to focus on the love lives of the others, specifically Skye and Jemma.

* * *

The day passed quickly, and soon enough it was time for Thor and Natasha to leave. She had successfully threatened Tony, by saying she would find out through a vision and then make her way back to wherever on Earth he was to hang him by his family jewels. Clint had laughed at her, knowing the threat wasn't necessary but also knowing she meant every word. Now, however, it was time for her to say goodbye, which was something she really didn't want to do. She had her small bag of treasures, which Thor had promised her she would be allowed to keep, and clutched it tightly as she told her family and friends that she would see them again as soon as she could. Everyone hugged her tightly in turn, and Thor called for Heimdall to open the Bifrost.

Traveling to Asgard was the strangest thing Tasha had ever experienced, and it took all she had to keep her balance when they arrived in the large golden orb at the edge of her mother's birthplace. The man from her visions-her grandfather-turned towards them to greet Thor but stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening slightly in horror.

"Sierra..." the Gatekeeper said quietly, and Natasha shook her head quickly.

"I'm not Sierra. She was my mother. I'm Natasha," she said, holding out her hand for him to shake. He did, slowly, his face looking as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Then you are my granddaughter, and you should not have come here," he said, concern in his golden gaze. Natasha sighed.

"I know who I am and I know I shouldn't be here, but I don't have a choice. I've been having visions that I don't know how to control, no one on Earth can help me, and they've gotten me into trouble on missions where my team relies on me. I came to find answers," she said softly, and the man sighed.

"You'll find much more than answers, dear girl, but I will not send you home if you feel this is where you need to be," he said, and moved aside so they could pass. The pair thanked him, and Thor used Mjolnir to fly them to the palace grounds.

"Are you ready for this?" the God of Thunder asked her, and she shook her head.

"Of course I'm not ready, but I have to do this, and will accept the consequences no matter what they are. It's the only way to find answers," she said with a sigh, and the blonde man nodded before pushing open the large gold doors and leading her to the throne room, where his father would be waiting.

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**So, what did you think? Remember, if you want me to continue, leave a "Yes" for a review. You don't even have to tell me why (although I would love to know). It only takes a few seconds! If you don't like it or don't care, you don't have to do anything.**

**If you like it, the next chapter is Natasha's punishment. It's about to get really, really dark, and there are going to be a lot of triggers. If I get at least three reviews saying yes, the rating is going to go up to M. Just letting you all know!**

**Snowflakes of love and fun to you all!**


	6. Chapter 6: History Repeats

**Hey, everyone!**

**So, we finally got the third review saying yes, which means the story will continue! I hope you guys like it, because I personally don't like this chapter at all. Also, the rating has been bumped up from T to M.**

**Warning: there are some serious triggers in this chapter, including rape, gang-rape, and torture. Be careful, guys! If it bothers you, I'll summarize at the end of the chapter.**

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**Chapter 6: History Repeats**

Odin was sitting on his throne, a strong and angry figure, powerful enough to intimidate almost anyone. Yet Natasha was not intimidated. She stood tall and proud, confident in who she was and the fact that she would be able to handle whatever was thrown at her. Thor stood next to her protectively, and Odin's one eye widened when he saw her.

"Why are you back here? You must know this is suicide," he said in his booming voice, and Tasha resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"You knew my mother. I am not her," she said. "I am Natasha Alianovna Romanova, not my mother Sierra, daughter of Heimdall."

"Your grandfather had sworn full loyalty to me. He had a child with my servant without my permission, and your mother was sentenced to suffer the consequences. She ran away, knowing that if she was found she would be killed, yet she killed herself to save you, knowing you would pay the price for both her actions and the actions of her father if you were ever brought her. You realize you cannot leave Asgard now, correct?" the Allfather asked her, malice in his tone. The assassin looked up at him, her green eyes showing him nothing and everything.

"Of course I know that. I've already said my goodbyes to the ones who matter back home and brought the few things I cared about. I came for answers that Midgard doesn't have regarding my heritage, and I'm not afraid of the consequences," she said, hedging slightly as to why she arrived. She wasn't sure if he knew about her visions, and she didn't think she wanted him to know. As he was about to open his mouth, Thor spoke up.

"Father, she knew long ago she wouldn't go home. She will accept the punishment you give for her family's mistakes, but you must let her keep the few things she brought with her," Thor demanded, and Odin raised an eyebrow.

"Very well, but I will search through them personally to make sure there's nothing she could use as a weapon," the old man conceded, and Natasha barely stopped herself from saying anything could be a weapon. "Thor, you are dismissed."

"Wait, what? Father-" the blonde began, but he cut him off with a glare.

"I said you are dismissed. Bid your friend farewell, for you will likely not see much of her from now on, if you see her at all. Guards, escort Ms. Romanova to the room she will have from now on," Odin ordered. Natasha said goodbye to Thor, barely catching his promise to help her any way he can as he hugged her tightly, then watched as he left, likely to find his friends.

A pair of guards came up from behind her and the one on her right grabbed her arm roughly, which she shook off, earning herself a slap to the face. He did not grab her arm again, however, and the three of them walked through the palace halls, stopping at a door in a long, seemingly empty corridor that somewhat resembled the barracks at SHIELD. The door was fairly unimpressive, with a large, clear circle in the center, but when she reached out to open it, realizing the men next to her would not, she felt something prick her finger, drawing blood. She cursed quietly in Russian, and then realized that there was a blood-red hourglass within a black circle appearing in the glass on the door.

_So this is my room_, she thought, watching the magic in the door form her distinctive symbol. _I wonder if all the doors can do that._

As soon as the symbol had set in the glass, looking like a very permanent piece of art, the men opened the door and pushed her inside. She stumbled from the sudden force but quickly straightened up, looking around the room. There was a bed built into the wall in the corner, larger than a twin bed, but not quite a full double, with a large gold frame and black, gauzy curtains that she looked at curiously. The bedspread was a deep black color, with gold colored sheets, and there was a rather large ring sticking out of the inside corner that looked like it was intended to have something tied to it. There was a window in the corner with curtains that matched the ones on the bed, next to a set of shelving that was decidedly bare, and another door next to it. There was a small tub in the corner to the left of the door, behind a black divider facing the door that was a little shorter than she was, coming up to just below her shoulders. She realized it would barely cover her full breasts, and may not properly cover the top of them. Positioned against the wall between the divider and the door was an ornate gold vanity table and mirror with a low gold seat and black cushion. As she spun around, about to ask what the catch was, she saw the man who had grabbed her arm eyeing her expectantly and the other opening the cabinet under the shelving and pulling out a black and gold bundle.

"Undress," the man staring at her ordered, and she finally took time to actually look at him. He was tall and built with bulky muscles, much like Thor was, with blue eyes, black hair and a short black beard. He was wearing what she knew to be the traditional guard uniforms from seeing them in her visions. His dark face was scarred, likely from battle, and the way he was holding his sword showed he would not hesitate to hurt her if she didn't obey. She was about to move behind the divider to follow the order, but one dark look from the guard stopped her.

"Not back there. Right where you are. Take off everything," he commanded, and she sighed inwardly before nodding. She took everything off, leaving it in a pile next to her, and soon she was standing in front of them wearing nothing but her silver arrow necklace. The man eyed it but said nothing, choosing instead to rake his eyes over her naked form. The other guard came up to her then, handing her the bundle and picking up the pile of clothes she left on the floor.

"Put those on," he told her, and she noticed he was just a little kinder than the first, and obviously younger. He had tan skin, honey brown eyes, light brown hair, and a touch of stubble on his chin.

She took the bundle from him and unwrapped it, seeing a strapless black leather corset with a gold zipper in the front, gold plating along the top, and two, triangle-shaped cutouts held together by gold ties intricately laced in a traditional corset style. There was a short, loose leather skirt that she found barely covered her ass-making it shorter than her belt skirt from her last mission-and flowed when she moved, with gold circles dotting the hem. Finally, there was a pair of gold and black leather stiletto boots, with the gold wrapping around the leather the way sandals would wrap around a pair of stockings. There was absolutely no underwear, and Natasha felt a pit form in her stomach as she got dressed.

She barely fit into the top of the corset, so the zipper didn't zip all the way up and her breasts were practically spilling out of the tight leather. Her legs appeared to be miles long, and her long red hair curled around her shoulders. She noticed the first guard had a rather large bulge in his pants and wasn't even attempting to hide it, while the second guard at least tried to hide his arousal by walking towards the door in the back of the room. The first guard put his hand on the bare skin of her shoulder blades and pushed her towards the door that his partner was opening. She walked through the door before they could push her with enough force to make her fall on the floor and inevitably make her tiny skirt fly up, and the room made her stomach tighten even more.

The floor was made of stone, with walls the same as the rest of those in the palace, and there was a dinged, golden box in the corner, secured shut with a huge padlock. A single golden chain hung from the ceiling in the center of the room, coming to the perfect height for her neck if she was standing, or to hold her wrists securely above her head if she were on her knees. There was a gold ring matching the one at her bed in the middle of the floor, and a small bench off to the side, between two tall, slender windows that let thin streams of sunlight glint off of the golden objects that made the redhead uneasy. The kinder of the two guards motioned towards the bench, indicating she should sit, and she did, crossing her legs tightly.

Neither of the men made any advances on her while they waited-for who, Natasha didn't know, but she assumed it would be Odin-but she didn't miss the black-haired one eyeing her predatorily. She bit her lip and played with her necklace, suddenly wishing she had taken it off and left it in her bag. Yes, Odin had promised Thor she could keep her things, but she was afraid that he would take this from her for wearing it with her little outfit. Her vision began to swim, but she willed it to stop, trying to focus on anything else. She tightened her grip around the silver arrow and her mind drifted to the vision she had about her last year in the Red Room, causing her to shiver involuntary. The guard caught the movement and was about to comment when the door opened and the King of Asgard walked in.

"Natasha," he said, and she stood up defensively as the two guards that had been watching her come over. At a nod from the King, they each grabbed one of her arms and forced her to sit down again, holding a wrist in their outside hand and a shoulder in their inside, keeping her securely on the bench. She swallowed the urge to fight them off, and instead kept her eyes on Odin as he opened the gold box at the far side of the room, pulling out three large, gold rings before coming back over to her.

Without a single word, he handed one ring to each of the men holding her, who attached what she now understood were cuffs to her slender wrists, waiting as they adjusted to fit her arms perfectly. One they were in place, Odin approached her with the third circle, which she realized with a sinking feeling was a glorified dog collar, with a small ring in the front that matched the ones throughout the room, but without a buckle. Odin opened the ring as if it was on a hinge, and while the men held her firmly to keep her from moving, he closed it around her throat. She heard the circle click shut, and had to close her eyes to keep from panicking as it tightened until it became like a second skin. Only after this last ring had secured did the men let go of her, but they stayed in their spots next to her while Odin spoke.

"I'm sure you've begun to figure out what your role will be in the palace, but in case you haven't, I'll explain. You are, quite simply, a slave. Your job will be to clean the rooms of the guards while they are protecting the palace, and to help them, relieve stress when they return. I'm sure you can figure out from your outfit and the reactions of the two next you how you are meant to do that," he said. The younger guard had the decency to look embarrassed and coughed quietly, but the older one simply puffed out his chest and looked rather proud of himself.

"I figured as much," she said with a sigh, looking down at her hands for a moment before looking back up. "So when will I be allowed to go down to the dungeon?"

"Excuse me?" Odin asked, as the darker haired guard next to her chuckled under his breath.

"To get answers. The only reason I know about my heritage is because of Loki. I figured he would know something that could help me," she stated manner of factly, and this time the older guard laughed out loud.

"Get a load of her! She thinks _Silvertongue_, who is mischief and chaos incarnate, will give her answers!" he scorned her, and Odin opened his mouth to say something.

" _She_ is sitting right next to you, and _she_ has a name. Don't talk about me as if I'm nothing," Natasha snapped, cutting off whatever Odin was about to say. He retaliated by grabbing the ring in her collar with one finger and pulling her towards him roughly.

"You do _not_ talk back, little one. You are only here for them. If they speak out of line, I will reprimand them myself, as I was going to do before you interrupted," Odin told her sharply, and as she forced herself to keep her mask in place, knowing she could do this, the older guard chuckled from behind her.

"Should we show her what her punishment will be like, sir?" he said suggestively, and she stiffened slightly as his tone. Odin caught it and the old man smirked before letting her go.

"I think that's an excellent idea, Arnljot. Her place here is far different than it was on Midgard, and she needs to realize that. Audun, go fetch the others from their rooms," he said, and the younger guard left without a backwards glance.

The older one, Arnljot, gripped her arm and pulled her up, a little too excited for her tastes. At Odin's nod, he forced her onto her knees next to the ring in the floor and held her there. Odin watched her for a moment, seemingly deciding how she would best be punished, and decided on going to the gold box once again and removing a gold chain like the one dangling above her head, only much shorter, and attached it to the ring on the floor before moving to attach it to her collar. She leaned away from him instinctively, but Arnljot grabbed her loose curls roughly and forced her head forward again, and the chain hooked into the ring at her neck. She reached up to touch it experimentally, and realized the chains were enchanted too because there was no seam in the metal at all to allow the two to connect.

"Starting tomorrow, a handmaiden will come in every morning and braid your hair in the style I have already instructed," Odin told her, looking down at her small form on the floor. "And Arnljot will be in charge of you and your punishments, and report everything back to me. He has full control of you, so whatever he says, goes, starting now."

Natasha felt the color drain from her face, and sensed Arnljot stand straighter with pride before sneering down at her.

"Better behave, little one. Remember," he started, kneeling down to her height to sneer at her, "you are nothing but a toy to be used however we see fit."

She felt a shiver run through her body as he stood up, and at that moment, Audun reentered the room with several other guards. They were all beginning to peel off their armor as Odin nodded at the black haired man and left, leaving her entirely in his hands. He began instructing them in a language Natasha didn't know, but recognized it faintly from one of her visions as Asgardian. She sat back on her heels, and to ignore the way the guards were eyeing her like she was just a piece of meat, she looked down at her hands and began playing with one of the gold circles on her hem. She wasn't trying to look weak, but they were making her increasingly uncomfortable.

She jumped when she felt a hand begin to card through her hair, and realized that while she'd been off in her own world, several of the men had undone their pants and had rather large erections. She looked up to see Arnljot standing in front of her, his erection out and waiting. She knew what he wanted but was hesitant to give it to him until he grabbed her hair and all but dragged her into the position he wanted her in. After that, he shoved his dick down her throat, and it began.

The men grouped around her in a tight circle, and one of them flipped the little skirt up over her back so they all had a clearer view of her ass. She immediately felt one of them pound into her entrance roughly, and she closed her eyes as she winced against the pain of it. That was a huge mistake, however, because her vision of her past in the Red Room flooded her and muscle memory took over. She responded the ways she knew each of them wanted her to, swallowing hard when Arnljot came and allowed the next guard-who was practically coming already-to have a go. She felt the guard behind her cum, and suddenly he was gone and another one was pushing into her ass, ignoring her cry of pain as he tore into her-which caused the one at her mouth to pull away as he came, getting the salty, sticky substance all over her face-and slammed into her hard until he came inside her. The cycle continued like that for what seemed like hours and hours, lasting well after the sun stopped shining into the small room. She isn't sure which one of them removed her corset and skirt or even when, but suddenly she was being held up by guards who were groping her breasts and her hands were each holding a dick and the force of the movement from all around her was enough to get them to cum on her hands. Some of the younger ones were content to simply rut against any part of her they could get to until they came on her skin. By the time they were finally all content and finished, she was bleeding in some areas, sticky everywhere from their cum dripping down her skin, and utterly violated, and all the men but Arnljot fixed themselves and filed out of her room, not caring that she was practically collapsed on the floor. Her role on Asgard wasn't as different from one of her previous ones on Midgard, contrary to what Odin had said.

Once they were gone, Arnljot came over to her and tilted her chin up, a smug look coming over his scarred face.

"You've done that before, haven't you?" he stated more than asked, a slightly accusing note in his voice smug voice. When she didn't answer right away, he fisted a hand in her already tangled hair and pulled sharply, making her whimper. He leaned into her ear and continued, his voice predatory and warning as he practically growled, "When I ask you a question, little one, you answer."

"Once," she said quietly, her voice hoarse from the abuse she just went through. "It was a punishment then too…"

He laughed at her then and stood up, giving her messy curls one more tug before letting go. He removed the chain from the ring on the floor and began to walk towards the door, pulling on the chain as if she were a dog on a leash. She tried to stand up to follow him, but one angry look from him told her to stay on her knees or she likely wouldn't enjoy the consequences. So she crawled after him, feeling her muscles scream as she moved, not even caring that she was still naked.

He tugged the chain roughly, leading her to the middle of her bedroom and she vaguely noticed the moonlight shining through the gauzy black curtains and that the room was lit by a single candle on the vanity. He stopped and faced her, so she gingerly sat back on her heels and looked up at him, waiting for whatever he was about to say or do. He tugged on her chain, however, and she knew she had to straighten up, so she complied against her body's screaming resistance.

"You are to call me Master, little one. You will kneel at my feet any time you see me enter a room, granted that you are not being used at the time. You will call the other men Sir, unless they tell you to call them something else, but I am the only person you will call Master, and that is the only name you will call me," he ordered, bending down to be at her level. "I own you now. Everything about you belongs to me, and I can choose where you go in the palace, who you speak with, and when, where, and how you are punished. I will decide if you get to go to the dungeons, and you will only go to do what I permit. If this chain is attached to the collar at the neck, I expect you to crawl. If you behave and are a good girl, I will consider letting you speak with the trickster. If you have to be punished too often, the punishments can and likely will change. Understand?"

"Yes, Master," she said, trying her best to say the word obediently, and without gagging as she did. It wasn't easy, but she managed well enough since he nodded once.

"Good girl. Go clean yourself off," he ordered, removing the chain from her collar, and she thanked him quietly, once again using his new title before standing and going to the small tub.

She found a table with soap, shampoo, something she figured was an Asgardian conditioner, a small towel, and a comb, which she smiled at before testing the water. To her surprise, it was still fairly warm, and she quickly and thoroughly cleaned the grime off her skin. Washing her hair was a bit more difficult with all of the tangles, but she managed and used the comb to get the last few out. When she finally felt clean, she climbed out of the tub and used the small towel to dry herself off before reemerging from behind the divider to find her "master" hadn't left yet, nor even gotten dressed. In fact, while she was bathing, he had stripped off the last of his clothes and was standing in the center of the room again.

"Come," he ordered, and she did, remembering his command to kneel at his feet. He smiled at her when she was in front of him, looking at her naked form appreciatively, and ran his fingers through her once again smooth curls.

"You learn quickly," he said, impressed. "That's good. Get into bed. Your duties start early in the morning."

She did as she was told, not liking being ordered around like this, but also not stupid or bold enough to try to ignore him. She noticed he had attached her chain to the ring at her bed and silently prayed he wouldn't chain her to the bed as she slept, but her prayers went unanswered. As soon as she sat on the surprisingly comfortable bed, he put a hand on her upper thigh to hold her still and grabbed the chain.

"I don't want to have to hold you still every time. When you see your chain, I expect you to willingly let me use it," he commanded her, and it was all she could do to remember what he had said earlier through the irritation in her mind.

"Yes, master," she murmured as he chained her to the bed. His hand did not let go of her right away, and instead began to roam over her body. She noticed his cock begin to harden, and inwardly cringed at the thought of him using her again.

He nudged her further onto the bed, which she had just realized had been turned down, and followed her until her back was against the wall with her legs open and she had nowhere else to go. He took in her position and smirked, pulling her flush against him before lying down and pulling the blankets over their naked bodies. She went limp in his arms, not knowing what he planned on doing, until he turned her so she was on her side facing the wall and her back was pressed tightly against his chest. She felt his semi-hard cock press between her legs, a promise that if she tried to refuse this he would have his way with her as punishment. His hands continued to roam over her body until he fell asleep, with one hand cupping a breast and the other brushing against her still sore center. She absentmindedly played with the chain, trying hard not to think about the mess she had escaped once only to be stupid enough to get stuck in it again, and eventually sleep took her, too.

_She was back in New York City when she was 16, enjoying some time alone in a large clearing in Central Park. She was wearing her gold Beats earbuds as she listened to the iPod Clint had gotten her for Christmas. When her favorite song came on, she couldn't resist dancing along, and didn't notice when a guy from her dance class stopped to watch her for a while. His name was Travis, and he was an extremely talented dancer, but nothing compared to the girl he was watching. She was Russian, for crying out loud, they were known for their ballet troupe. He didn't know her very well, since she was quiet and tended to avoid people when she could, but he had wanted to be her friend since they met. He was shy, however, and while she seemed to be too, she was positively radiant when she danced, and if he was perfectly honest, it intimidated him. He wanted to go talk to her now, but she was happily off inside her own little world, and he couldn't bear to tear her from it. He watched her dance a short while longer, then left before she noticed him._

* * *

The sun shone through the sheer curtains early the next morning, waking Arnljot before Natasha. He smirked down at his sleeping toy and felt himself grow hard, and could think of no better way to wake her up on her first official day in Asgard. Well, that was a lie, he could shake her awake or pull her hair or something, but his way pleasured him, and that was the entire reason she hadn't been executed as punishment for returning in her mother's place. She had been given to him so she could pleasure the guards, and he intended on making full use of her.

Without moving the arm that had a hand on her breast or waking her, he moved her onto her stomach and adjusted her legs so she was on her knees with her legs open. In one swift movement, he tilted her hips up and pushed into her, smiling when she whimpered in discomfort. He squeezed the breast he was holding as he pumped into her, slowly but forcefully, and soon enough she was wide awake and trying to stop herself from crying out or trying to fight him off. As he got closer to his climax, he sped up, enjoying hearing her quiet sounds of discomfort, which he knew wasn't quite pain but certainly wasn't pleasurable, and soon he was spilling into her. He pulled out and slapped her ass sharply, smiling as she whimpered from the sudden pain and a red mark the size of his hand appeared on her cheek. He filed that away for later, knowing he could use it as punishment for a more minor offense, or simply because he wanted to. She took a few breaths to steady herself as he reached around and freed her from the chain.

"Thank you, Master," she said quietly, not looking up at him, and he smirked evilly, his hand on her ass.

"For what? The way I woke you up? The way I struck you when I was done?" he taunted her, raising his hand as if to hit her again, but she didn't flinch.

"For unchaining me," she told him, using the same quiet voice, and he smirked before getting out of the bed. He dressed quickly and put her corset and skirt on the bed, leaving her heels where she had left them at the foot of the bed before bathing. He pinched her nipple simply because he could and then left the room entirely to prepare for his day.

Natasha shuddered once he was gone, gagging over having to call him her master. At least he was fairly easy to predict, so as long as she could mind her manners and follow all of his stupid rules, she would have her answers and could find a way out of this mess and back home. She reached up and touched the silver arrow at her neck, deciding it would probably be safer to take it off for the day.

She got out of bed and padded over to the tub to wash away the feeling of him. She took off the necklace and left it in her bag with the rest of her stuff, and had just zipped up her corset when there was a knock on the door. She quickly slipped on her boots and made sure her skirt was in place before she opened the door, revealing a teenage girl with silvery-blue hair, intricately braided on top of her head, and wearing a deep blue, Asgardian style dress that was pretty on her, yet relatively plain to show her status. Her pale lavender eyes widened when she saw what Natasha was wearing, but paid it no mind.

"I'm Misty," she said as Nat allowed her to enter the room. "I'm supposed to do your hair."

"Oh right. I'm Natasha," she replied, sitting down at the vanity when Misty motioned for her to. "Sorry for startling you."

"It isn't your fault. I don't know much about what happened to you, but I figured out enough," the young girl said kindly as she began to braid and twist Natasha's red tresses. They chatted about trivial things as the girl worked, and when she was done, Natasha's hair was elegantly braided, with a few braids that had been woven into loops and left mostly free from her head that the redhead realized were meant to be so the guards could easily grab her by her hair. She sighed, but supposed it was better than a chain, and thanked Misty as she left.

She stared at her reflection, scrutinizing what she saw, until the glass seemed to shimmer and she wasn't looking at her reflection anymore. She was watching herself, no, _Kitty_, wearing nothing but a black leather collar with a leash attached to it be examined by a shirtless and very aroused Thomas, who held the leash firmly. The vision seemed to zoom in on the collar, which had a gold tag with a black background that said "Property of T. Haines" in elegant gold lettering. With a little gasp, Natasha realized that this was where she would be if the Avengers hadn't interrupted the meeting a month earlier. She watched as he approved of her body before having her kneel and suck him off.

As Nat tried to blink away the vision, it skipped to the next part, where Kitty was wearing a skimpy black bra, a gold and black lace thong, and her gold heels, and Thomas was using the leash to lead her out of the room and into somewhere very public. No one batted an eye at the girl, telling Natasha that it had been some time since the meeting. More specifically, one month, and people had gotten used to seeing the blonde man's pet in various degrees of nudity. In fact, something told Natasha that seeing the girl properly dressed would surprise people more than seeing her completely naked and crawling along behind her owner.

The vision ended before Natasha could see where he was leading her, but she instinctively knew both that she didn't want to know, and that her situation could be worse. She knew nothing was stopping it from becoming that bad, especially if Thor and his friends weren't around, but for the moment she was still better off, and she made her way out of her room to begin her chores.

* * *

Each room had a small basin of cleaning supplies in it, and a note. Many said "make the floors so clean I can see reflections in them" or "tidy up the bed and do the laundry" or "change the sheets using the extra set in the cabinet, then clean the used ones." Simple tasks, but time consuming, so she tried her best to get it all done in time.

Some of the guards, she found, were still in their rooms when she went to clean. The first two or three were content to just watch her clean, say she missed spots, or drop and spill things deliberately so she would have to bend down and clean them up. A couple of them made her take off the corset and skirt while she was cleaning and would make her suck them off before she was allowed to get dressed and go to the next room. The last one actually made her strip down, lie on the bed, and fucked her thoroughly before allowing her to clean. He made her completely change the sheets, scrub the floors until he was happy with them, and made her bathe and redress him before she was finally allowed to get dressed and go back to her room. She had just gotten back to her room when her "master" Arnljot showed up.

"Did you finish all of your chores?" he asked her after she had knelt in front of him.

"Yes, master," she said, trying to say the title without spitting it out and getting herself into trouble.

"I'm impressed. Now," he began, getting her chain from the bed, "let's go for a walk."

She felt her insides tighten as he secured the chain to her collar. He tugged on it and she was about to stand, but remembered his rule about the chain and remained on all fours, following him out the door and into the hallway like a dog. She tried to ignore the guards as they stared at her ass, hardly covered by the skirt, and instead focused on keeping up with his pace. He led her down corridors she didn't know how to navigate on her own, many with people that stared at her, and she had to fight her body's immediate blush of shame. He led her into a sprawling garden, seeming to target all the areas where there were large groups of people, but avoiding any area where Thor or his friends could be.

He finally stopped walking on a stretch of grass next to a pond with a single large tree that was far enough away from people that a conversation wouldn't be overheard, but they were still in clear view of everyone. As he sat down and began to play with the chain bound to her, she felt her stomach growl painfully, and realized it was now late evening and she hadn't eaten anything since brunch with her friends the day before. He must have heard the quiet noise she made, because he looked over at her with a smirk.

"Hungry?" he asked, already knowing the answer but wanting her to work for it. She was about to respond when her stomach growled again, louder this time.

"Yes master," she said quietly, pressing her hands into her stomach in a vain attempt to stop the noise.

"Tell me what you've done to earn your meal," he said, laughing at her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before telling him everything she had done that day after leaving her bedroom. He listened, smirking, and she knew he was laughing at her on the inside, but she also knew that this was what he wanted to hear. When she finished, including mentioning how she had remembered his rule about crawling when she was bound by the chain, he outright laughed. "Is that all, little one? You'll have to do better than that."

She could have screamed in irritation, but her stomach growled loudly and he grabbed the "handle loops" in her braids roughly.

"I'll tell you what. You be a good girl while I fuck you here, and I'll take you to the kitchen to get something to eat. Is that a good deal?" he asked her condescendingly, already undoing his pants to free the erection she hadn't noticed growing while she was telling him about her day.

"Yes master," she murmured, knowing he would fuck her regardless, and as soon as the words left her mouth he tugged her head down to his crotch. She opened her mouth obediently, not wanting to make him mad, and he rammed himself deep into her throat. She wrapped her lips around him as he fucked her face roughly, using his grip on her braids to hold her in place.

Suddenly, he pulled on her braids and used them to flip her around so her backside faced him, plunging his cock deep into her core. Her muscles tightened around the invasion, and he set a punishing pace that she knew would leave her in pain later. When he finally came, he pulled her hair painfully, and she bit down on a cry. He pulled out of her as roughly as he had gone in, smirking as his seed began to spill down her thighs, knowing it would be painfully obvious as she crawled along beside him. He tucked himself away and stood up, not caring that several people in the garden had stopped what they were doing to watch him, and pulled on her chain as he started to walk, watching as she began to crawl after him.

He walked through the crowded halls to the kitchen with his pet in tow, who was busy trying to hide her shame. When they got there, he asked the staff in Asgardian for something for her to eat. She sat back on her heels and watched what was going on around her. When the plate was given to him, he saw it was a dish of a traditional Asgardian soup, with little pieces of meat in it. He set the bowl on the floor in front of her and watched her expectantly. She reached out to pick up the bowl, but he tugged on her braids roughly, and she realized with a sinking feeling what he expected her to do.

"No," she said quietly, and he glared down at her.

"Excuse me?" Arnljot demanded, gripping her braids as if he meant to rip them out.

"I will not eat like a dog," she said, determination burning in her green eyes, and he narrowed his cold, blue ones at her.

"Then you will not eat," he told her, picking up the bowl and giving it back to the kitchen staff with an apology.

"I'm sorry, I guess she isn't as hungry as I was led to believe," he told them, and they simply shrugged and put the food away again.

He practically dragged her back into the corridor, where he turned on her, fire in his eyes.

"Give me your skirt," he ordered, and when she hesitated he slapped her roughly.

"Would you prefer I take everything you're wearing, make you crawl along beside me naked?" he demanded, and when she didn't answer immediately he roughly pulled down the zipper of her corset, watching it fall from her before ripping her skirt off as well. He held her clothes firmly and turned on his heel, pulling her chain until she began to follow him.

He walked at a painfully slow pace, savoring how people stared at the girl next to him. She looked like she was trying to do everything she could to disappear, and he began thinking of how else he would punish her. Another group session likely wouldn't help her attitude, not yet, so he would have to be more creative. He smiled darkly as he remembered the gold chest in her room, and knew he would have fun.

When they finally made it to her room, he wasted no time in forcing her on the bed and chaining her to it, tying a piecing of solid black fabric he had left in the cabinet for this specific purpose around her eyes. He walked into the other room and sorted through the contents of the chest, smiling as he found more chains, a riding crop with small golden spikes on one side, and a leather paddle.

_Oh yes_, he thought. _She is going to learn._

* * *

The next morning, Natasha realized just how wrong she had been in saying she was better off. She had cuts and welts all over her body that reopened with every move she made. She was stiff from sleeping on the stone floor of the "punishment room," as she decided to call it, where Arnljot had chained her when he was finished with her. There were bloodstains drying on stones where she had lain, and she knew this day would be worse than the day before had been, even if no one raised a hand against her. Her head spun from not having had anything to eat in two days.

She heard the main door open, at first thinking it was Misty arriving to do her hair, and Natasha's vision swam.

_Thor was flying out of his room, leaving behind a flustered looking Misty as he made his way to the throne room. He was furious as he yelled at his father for allowing Natasha to be hurt. The redhead was brought into the throne room, but she was just a limp body with fresh wounds that had been inflicted when Thor began to yell at his father, thinking she had been dumb enough to tell him. They had killed her, and it had been because Thor tried to protect her…_

The vision ended abruptly as the door to the punishment room banged open, making her jump. She saw Arnljot standing in the doorway, and she shifted to her knees subconsciously, biting back a scream as her cuts reopened violently.

"Put this on," he said, tossing her a piece of black fabric. It landed on the ground in front of her, and Natasha picked it up to examine it.

It was a piece of sheer, ruched black fabric that was as wide as three of her fingers, with each end attached to a wide gold ring that was obviously meant to be in the front and was the top, with a thinner strip of the same fabric trailing down to a low belt of gold chain, weaving through it. There was a piece of the fabric forming a tight, sheer skirt that was even more like a belt than her one on Midgard, and crossed at the front, leaving her core bare. She glanced up at him for a second before carefully putting it on, careful not to rip the gauzy fabric or make her injuries any worse. The top of this fit even worse than the original outfit, and her breasts threatened to spill out any minute. Once she was "dressed" he freed her from the floor and pulled on the chain, making her crawl after him. She just barely bit back tears of pain, and when she got into the bedroom, she was surprised to see a little tray with food on it on her vanity.

"Eat," he ordered, releasing her from the chain all together. She stood slowly, every part of her screaming and her head spinning, and somehow made it to the seat. She saw it was a glass of water, a cup of broth, meat she didn't recognize, and a piece of bread.

"Thank you," she said, tacking on a quiet "master" when his eyes narrowed darkly at her for forgetting. He simply grunted and left the room, leaving the pained girl to eat. She was shaken by the vision, so when Misty knocked on the door she jumped.

"Who's," Natasha started, but her voice cracked and she had to clear her throat before trying again, "who's there?"

"Natasha, it's just Misty. Can I come in?" the silvery haired girl asked, and entered the room when Natasha said she could, carrying a small bag. She gasped when she saw the redhead's injuries, made more prominent by the sheer fabric she was made to wear for the day. The girl turned to run, but Natasha grabbed her wrist before she could leave the room, wincing at the sudden movement.

"Misty wait. Please don't tell anyone, especially Thor. They'll kill me if he finds out," she said urgently, and the girl sighed, her lavender eyes showing she didn't like this.

"Alright, I won't tell him. What did he do to you? I came to undo your braids last night, but I was sent away by one of the other guards. Then when I came bring you something to eat earlier this morning, he took the food and told me to come back later. I'm glad you got it, but what did he do?" Misty asked quietly, and it was Natasha's turn to sigh.

"I'll tell you while you're fixing my hair," she said, and the girl immediately set to undoing the intricate braids from the day before.

Natasha recounted everything that had happened since she last saw the girl, leaving out the worst details. Misty was almost in tears over what the redhead had gone through in just one day. Eventually Natasha turned around to face her, wincing as her cuts pulled, and smiled halfheartedly at her.

"Hey, I've had worse things happen," she said, and Misty nodded, wiping at her eyes.

_Poor girl_, Natasha thought sadly. _She shouldn't have to see this._

When Natasha's hair was neatly braided again, Misty helped her clean her injuries carefully, pulling out a salve from the bag she had brought in and rubbing it into her skin gently. Natasha raised an eyebrow at the girl.

"How did you know I would need that?" the redhead asked, and the lavender-eyed girl shrugged.

"When I was sent away twice in a row, I didn't know what was happening, but I wanted to be prepared when I came back. I figured you might need some help, but I didn't think it would be this bad," Misty said quietly, and Natasha hugged her tightly.

"Thank you, Misty," she said, fighting off tears. The younger girl hugged her back carefully, trying not to touch the angry welts and cuts she had been rubbing the healing salve into.

"That's what friends are for, Natasha," Misty replied, and Natasha tried to fight off the tightness in her stomach at the idea of Misty being her friend.

* * *

**So, that happened. Did you guys like it?**

**For those of you that opted to skip the chapter, here's the basics: _Natasha's punishment is to be a sex-slave for the palace guards on Asgard. She's given to one of the guards named Arnljot (yes it's an actual name), and he makes her call him master. She's treated horribly, pisses him off for trying to retain some shred of dignity, and is punished harshly. Her friend's name is Misty, who is basically Natasha's stylist. Everyone is super OOC._**

**Anyway, three "yes" reviews and I'll post the next chapter. (Spoiler: she finally talks to Loki in the next one.)**

**Snowflakes of love and fun to you all.**


	7. Chapter 7: Rewards

**Hey everyone! I'm finally updating!**

**I have to admit, the third "Yes" review was posted around the 23rd of August, but I've been so busy with school and I was sick (meaning I had to try to catch up with the schoolwork I missed on the day I was absent), and I've had so much I've been trying to teach myself on my own that it's kind of insane, but I apologize. Hopefully this chapter will make it up to you!**

**This one isn't as dark, and she finally gets to interact with Loki! Yay! And it's kind of ironic that usually Loki is the darkest part of these stories, but he's not here and that's really cool (at least I think)! Maybe you guys will think so too.**

**One of the reviews we got asked about Heimdall's reaction to Natasha's punishment, and that will come, but not yet. If you guys want to, I'd take suggestions for how he should react. Just put how you would react if you had to know your granddaughter was going through that, and maybe I'll use one of them. I'll totally give a shoutout to whoever's idea is used!**

**Also, there's a surprise cameo in this one, that's super subtle. If any of you guys can guess who it is, I'll post Chapter 8 whether we have three reviews or not. (Hint: it's a nod to one of my favorite pairings.)**

**Anyway, I'll stop now so you guys can read what you're REALLY here for. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Rewards**

Natasha had long ago lost track of how long she had been on Asgard. She thought it was a couple months at this point, but it was hard to know for sure when all of her days were relatively the same.

In however long it had been since she left her home-it felt like forever to her-she had been beaten at least twice, gang-raped three or four times, denied food for what had felt like a week, and roughly used more times than she could count. She hadn't seen Thor at all, and assumed she hadn't been in contact with his friends either. The one safe, constant feature was her friend Misty. The silvery haired girl would come into her room in the mornings after Arnljot left and the two would talk while Misty braided Natasha's hair. She would come back every night Arnljot would let her to undo the braids, leaving Natasha's red hair in a simple braid down her back.

They got to know each other during these times. Natasha had shown her the photo album with pictures of her family and friends in it, and explained her family's dynamic. She had glossed over her training, only saying enough so the girl would understand who she was. One day, several months into her new life, she was telling Misty about her role on Midgard with more detail and a couple simple demonstrations when the girl frowned at her.

_"If you can do all that, why do you let them hurt you?" Misty had asked._

_"Self-preservation is a powerful thing, Misty," the ex-assassin said with a bitter laugh. "I need to be allowed to talk to Loki, and if I'm dead that can't happen. Besides, I promised my family I would try to come home. I have no doubts that Thor would bring my body home if I was killed here, but I can't put them through that. Especially Clint."_

Misty had understood then, and had explained how she had come to live in the palace. She had grown up on Vanaheim, but she didn't know where her family was originally from. They had lived on the green realm for so long that the only way anyone knew she wasn't from there was because of her silvery-blue hair, moonlight-pale skin, and light purple eyes that seemed to glow in the right lighting. Asgard and Vanaheim were extremely close, and every few years the palace guards would come and ask for young men and women to work on Asgard as servants. They would be well paid and have the money sent back to their families so they could support them. Misty's only older brother, Jackson, had been married for a year and a half, and his wife was pregnant with their first child when the guards had come to their town, and her family had been down on their luck since her father died two years earlier. Their money was running out, and Misty offered herself to support her mother and brother until they could get back on their feet.

_"I receive letters from them every few months," Misty said with a small smile, obviously proud of her family. "My brother and his wife just welcomed a son, making their first child an older sister. The little girl is named Katrina, and has silvery hair the color of untouched snow in the moonlight and my brother's blue eyes. The son is named Royal, and has silvery-blonde hair that is the perfect mix of his parents' shade and his mother's light blue eyes. My mother found work as a tailor, and my brother and sister-in-law opened a school to provide more opportunities for families. They had both received an education in another town at a boarding school, and now use what they knew to train more teachers so the children in the town can be educated. They keep admission costs just high enough that the teachers can have a salary that makes a living, and the families can still afford it. They've been working to expand the school, trying to bring in tutors and students from surrounding areas that don't have proper schools. So far, it's been doing really well."_

One morning, as Misty was braiding her hair and Natasha had been tapping on her collar thoughtfully, the redhead suddenly spoke up.

"Hey, Misty, how long have I been here?" Natasha asked, seemingly out of nowhere, and her friend's hands stilled as she counted out the days.

"Almost a year. It's been close to 11 months," the silvery haired girl said, resuming what she had been doing.

"Oh. It's gotten easier," Natasha replied, dropping her hands into her lap.

"I'm glad," Misty said, flashing a huge smile at her through the mirror. Natasha had smiled back, not having anything else to say.

After that day, at least once a week Arnljot would make Misty leave early so he could have his way with Natasha, and he eventually all but stopped beating her. He didn't have to anymore, since she had accepted the way her life had been dealt, and if she didn't fight them, it wasn't as bad. Humiliating, yes, and it was no where near pleasurable, but it wasn't painful unless the guards were angry with something. The only time they ever really struck her was to spank her if she forgot a rule or two as her role in the palace became second-nature to her. To keep her from getting too comfortable, Arnljot would withhold food for a day or two and do random gang-rape sessions if she stepped out of line or pushed her limits too far.

By the day her first year in Asgard finished, Natasha's visions would come almost every day, and her duties really were second-nature. She always knew what each room needed as she left her bedroom in the morning, and would know exactly what each guard wanted or needed before they knew themselves, and was able to service them much more efficiently. Audun, the youngest of the guards, hadn't responded to her the way the others had, and it took her longer than she liked to admit to figure out why. Eventually she realized that he was gay, but likely didn't realize or acknowledge it because of how it was viewed on Asgard. While most people had a "don't ask, don't tell" mentality, the overall feelings towards it were relatively hostile, and Natasha wanted to make it a little easier for him, the way she had tried to with Clint.

Whenever she would find him in his room, if he looked stressed, she would remove most of his armor and kneel behind him before beginning to massage his back. She always started slow at first, to see how he would react, but eventually he would give in and lie down on his stomach. Sometimes, when she could tell he was exhausted, she would hum an old Russian lullaby she had forgotten the words to as she rubbed his back in time with the beat of the song, and he would fall asleep after about ten minutes. He always avoided the gang-rapes, using the excuse that someone needed to be guarding the palace while they were all busy. One day, a month after her first year in Asgard had passed, he was almost asleep as she massaged his back, humming softly, and she felt like now was a good time to ask a question.

"Sir?" Natasha started, not wanting to him push too far, but he hummed in response.

"Not sir," he mumbled. "Just call me Audun. That's my name."

"Ok, Audun," she said with a soft smile, using the same quiet tone she used while humming. "Would you be offended if I asked you something kind of personal?"

"Hm, no. What is it?" he said, turning his head to look at her without interrupting the massage.

"Is there someone specific in the palace that you're attracted to?" she murmured, watching his reaction as she continued carefully. "I've kind of figured that girls don't do it for you, based on how you react to me compared to the others, and you're a lot like my dad in a lot of ways, who's into guys."

"That's not," he started, but sighed softly. "How'd you figure it out?"

"Like I said, you're a lot like my dad, who's gay. And all the others openly stare, but you've always looked the other way," she said, thinking back to the first time she met him. "Actually, my first day here was the only time I've ever even seen you hard, but you looked really embarrassed about it. Is it Arnljot?"

His face paled then, and Natasha's hands stilled, worried she had gone too far. When he didn't move, she decided to return to the massage, humming quietly to soothe him and ground herself, knowing this was the only real calm she experienced during the day.

"Yes," he said eventually, so quietly she almost missed it. "But he doesn't like men that way."

"Don't be so sure. I knew a man on Midgard who had a reputation for being a playboy and having sex with lots of women, but he ended up falling in love with my dad. They got together right before I left to come here. Maybe the same thing could happen with you," she tried to reassure him.

"I doubt it," he said miserably, and Natasha sighed.

"Have a little faith. I'm not usually wrong, Audun. I'm going back to Arnljot after we finish here, so maybe I could pass something on from you? He doesn't have to know yet, but I can try to find out if he'd be interested in guys," she said, and he sat up facing her with his brow furrowed.

"Why would you do that for me and risk his temper? You've worked so hard to get to where you are, and I overheard him mention something about the dungeons and Silvertongue the other day. That's the only reason you're here, why would you risk destroying that?" he asked her, genuine concern for her in his voice, and she smiled warmly at him.

"You've always been nice to me," she said simply. "Besides, you seem like the kind of guy who deserves a happy ending."

"You deserve better than this," he said quietly, worry in his honey-colored eyes, and she shrugged at him.

"These are the cards I was dealt a long time ago. Maybe I'll tell you about it sometime," she said with a smirk, and he chuckled as she moved to get off the bed. "I have to get back. You sure you don't want me to give him anything from you?"

He watched her for a minute, and when she turned to go she felt his right hand rest lightly on her waist, stopping her, and then he pressed a chaste kiss to her left shoulder. She turned and grinned at him after he let her go, then left for her room. It was still empty, but as she moved towards the bed to sit down, the door opened and Arnljot walked in. As per his rules, she kneeled at his feet, and felt him rest his hand on her braided hair firmly, but not roughly.

"Ah little one, you've learned so well," he said, motioning for her to strip down and get on the bed. She did so, leaving her clothes on the vanity, and settled onto her hands and knees with her ass facing him. He chained her to the bed, more out of habit than a need to restrain her, and she heard him take off his armor quickly. He fucked her in the rough way he always did, not harming her, but still all wrong.

When he finally finished and had lied down, waiting for her to follow suit like he usually made her, she nudged him onto his stomach and began to massage the same way she did with Audun. She was amazed at how he responded to her. He had relaxed almost instantly, and as she began humming his breathing deepened until he was almost asleep, which was when she leaned down and gently pressed the kiss Audun had "sent" him to his left shoulder. He laughed at her softly in response. Feeling brave, she dared to ask him a question.

"Master," she started, watching her hands innocently and using his title that she hated but had reluctantly gotten used to, "would you ever consider taking a man into your bed?"

Immediately his eyes snapped open, and he narrowed them at her dangerously. She knew she had to tread carefully, and made sure she looked perfectly innocent as she worked out the tension in his back.

"Why would you ask such a thing?" he asked her, anger simmering in his tone, and she shrugged slightly.

"I was just curious. It happens a lot on Midgard," she said, and he abruptly sat up, pulling her facedown onto his lap. He spanked her harshly, making her count out loud until he decided he was done. After that he got dressed and left, leaving her chained to the bed and wondering what would happen to her.

For the next three days, he would sit in the room as Misty braided her hair, meaning the girls had to remain silent, and he refused to let her eat. She would go about her chores every day as if nothing was wrong, and at night he would strike her again. She worried she had slipped back to where she started, but after the third day, she entered her room to see him sitting at the vanity, a tray of food sitting on the table. Her stomach growled as she kneeled at his feet, waiting to hear what he would say.

"Since you've been so good and took your punishment for that little outburst the other night so well," he started, glaring down at her, "I've decided against my better judgement to reward you. You will bring this tray of food to Silvertongue in the dungeons and will be permitted to remain there for one hour. Whether he answers your questions or uses you the way the rest of us do is up to him, and you will have no say. Do you understand?"

"Yes, master, thank you," she said, feeling lightheaded but happy that she would finally get to see Loki after more than a year of being on Asgard. Maybe if he was able to give her some answers, she could find a way to go home, like Sierra had all those years ago. She didn't think she would be so lucky, but it was a possibility.

Arnljot led her through the corridors and down a set of stairs to the dungeons, leaving her unchained for once as she carried the tray. When they got to Loki's cell, she saw it was decorated in a manner befitting a spoiled prince, with plush gold seats and several books filling the bright, white room. He was lying on his bed with one of those books, and didn't even look up as Natasha entered the cell. She set down the tray in a way so that she could see him out of the corner of her eye, but he wouldn't have a clear view of her face.

"Your dinner," she said, and finally the raven-haired man looked up, doing a double take as he saw her. His green eyes widened slightly, as if she was the last person he ever expected to see. _Oh wait_, she remembered smugly, _she was_.

"Agent Romanoff?" the God of mischief said incredulously, and slowly walked over to her. She turned to face him then, keeping her emotions carefully controlled.

"Just Natasha," she said, correcting him. "I left SHIELD a little over a year ago."

"Then why are you here?" he asked warily, not going too close to the food she had brought in. She rolled her eyes.

"I was hoping you would help me," she said, and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"You think a monster will help you?" he sneered, and as she was about to respond, the room spun rapidly, her vision swam, and she lost all connection to the world around her.

_Images flashed through her mind at painful speeds, showing a younger Odin in many. The first image was of a small baby, who's skin started at a rich, beautiful azure and slowly changed to a more human-looking porcelain, with eyes that changed from sharp red to glittering green. The next image snapped into view, showing the baby being raised by a beautiful blonde woman that must be Frigga in the palace of Asgard, while his older brother who had golden blonde hair and blue eyes playing with Odin._

_As image after image presented itself, the red haired seer found herself watching as Loki grew up. She heard snippets of the stories Odin would tell about the blue-skinned monsters that were the Frost Giants, and how Thor would promise to destroy them when he was king. She watched as Loki always seemed to be in the shadow of his older brother, not realizing that his older brother loved him more than anything or anyone else. Thor was not very bright, however, and had a tendency to assume Loki knew his worth and spend more time with the Warriors Three and Sif than his younger brother. She watched when the five warriors first welcomed Loki and began to fight with him, tease him, and celebrate with him, but noticed that the raven-haired Prince was always something of an outsider. She saw him plan the Frost Giant attack during Thor's ceremony, scheme and rule Asgard for a time while Thor was on Midgard with Jane and Odin was in something called the Odin-sleep, and fought back tears when she saw him fall from the destroyed Bifrost into the abyss below._

_She watched as he suffered in the abyss, as a purple skinned creature known as Thanos found him and helped him plan his attack on Midgard. She watched him take over Clint's mind, she watched herself interrogate him, and watched when he was finally defeated. She saw Thor taking him back to Asgard from Loki's perspective, saw herself have a vision through his eyes, and saw Odin sentence him to spend his days in a prison cell. She watched Frigga do everything he could to help ease her son's punishment, giving him comfortable furniture and loads of books. He refused any other form of companionship, and when he wasn't teasing the guards, he kept to himself, practicing small illusions within the magic-proofed walls of his small cell. The vision faded to darkness, and Natasha welcomed it._

When she finally opened her green eyes, she was lying on a bed in a painfully bright white room, with a splitting headache. She moved to sit up, but a strong, slender hand held her down. Her instincts kicked in and she moved quickly in an attempt to break the arm of the man who held her, but she stopped herself when she realized it was just Loki. He was watching her with concern in his usually mischievous green eyes, and she frowned at him.

"What happened?" she asked, her mind still swirling from the vision she had seen. None of the other visions had been like that one, and she couldn't figure out why.

"I could ask you the same thing. Your eyes flashed the way they did the day Thor brought me here after I was defeated on Midgard, and then you collapsed. Your heart was racing and your breathing was weird, and at one point you stopped breathing entirely. You've never done that, not as far as I could see into Barton's memories, and I couldn't slip into your mind at all when I tried to see what was wrong. Natasha, what happened?" he demanded, and she waited until her brain stopped threatening to explode to process what he said.

"I collapsed?" she asked quietly, and at his somewhat frustrated nod, she sighed. "I haven't eaten in three days, that may be why…"

"Why haven't you eaten?" the God demanded, and she winced, not really wanting to tell him.

"Natasha," he prompted her, and she found a way to avoid the question.

"How long was I out?" she asked instead of answering, and he let out an exasperated huff.

"About five minutes," he said, helping her sit up before sitting across from her. "Why haven't you eaten? What's going on?"

"You haven't figured it out by my outfit yet?" Natasha asked him, obviously irritable. He ran his eyes over her form for the first time since she entered his cell, before looking back up to her eyes, expecting an answer. She finally sighed and threw her hands up in defeat.

"After I interrogated you on the Helicarrier, I started having visions of my mom, starting with her life on Asgard as Heimdall's daughter, then how she met my father, then her death, eventually leading to various parts of my history, and sometimes showing me what's happened to other people. A vision from my past nearly compromised a mission I was on with the team, and I figured that if anyone would be able to help me, you would, since you triggered them. So a year ago I left SHIELD and had Thor bring me here, knowing I would be punished for my mom running away and for Heimdall getting my grandmother pregnant at all, and I've been trying to find a way down here ever since," she said, and Loki's eyes widened.

"I swear, when we were talking on the carrier, I didn't do anything to you. I was trying to intimidate you, and you beat me at my own game. I probably could've done something to you, but I was too focused on my plans to even consider it," he said honestly, and Natasha sighed.

"I figured as much, but I was hoping you could help me learn to control them. They're coming almost every day now," she said quietly, watching her hands. Loki got up and gave her the glass of water on the tray, threatening to force her to drink it when she tried to refuse.

"What you need is training," he said, sitting back down. "I'll try to teach you whatever I can, but you won't get it in an hour. Are there any times during the day that you're alone and can practice?"

"Not really, no," she said, thinking about her usual day. Wake up chained to the bed next to Arnljot, sit and eat while Misty braids her hair, go do her chores, eventually make it back to her room, where she usually has less than five minutes before Arnljot comes back in, eat her dinner after he leaves while Misty is undoing the intricate braids from that day, then she has a couple minutes alone before Arnljot comes back and chains her to the bed, and the cycle repeats.

"I have a few minutes of nothingness each day, but it's usually just before my, handler, comes back or just after he leaves before Misty comes in to do my hair, and I might be alone for longer while doing my chores, but then I'm busy. It really isn't enough time to train without getting caught," the redhead elaborated, refusing to call Arnljot her 'master' in front of Loki.

"Wait, what do they make you do? Who's your handler?" Loki demanded, and Natasha sighed.

"Trust me, it's better if you don't know," she said, staring down into the water glass.

"Natasha. Who is your handler?" he asked again, with more force this time. He tilted her chin up so she had to look at him, and saw genuine concern in his eyes. "I've never seen you like this, even in Clint's thoughts. Tell me."

"Arnljot is my handler," she said, and his green eyes hardened instantly.

"They put you in _his_ care?!" Loki practically screamed, and his magic made one of the chairs go flying. Natasha flinched, expecting him to lash out at her next. He saw the movement and softened, though his eyes were still furious. He moved so he was sitting against the wall next to her and pulled her in for a hug. "Has he hurt you?"

"Loki," she started, a warning note in her tone, but he cut her off by holding her tighter.

"Natasha, tell me. Please?" he asked, but her pained silence told him more than words ever could.

She closed her eyes and hid her face in his shoulder, and for the first time Loki noticed Natasha was trembling. He began to rub her back soothingly, even angrier at how she had been treated. She had done nothing to deserve this. Yes, she had killed many people on Midgard, and would probably have lived to kill many more had Loki never shown up, but she was a skilled agent and a devoted friend. Sure, she said love was for children, but Loki knew the truth. She loved her friends fiercely, with all of the fire that can be seen in her curls, and he worried that her fire was being smothered and extinguished. He began devising a plan to save her, but first he knew she had to gain control of her newfound powers, and he had an idea.

"Natasha, have you ever tried to do anything with your visions?" Loki asked her quietly.

"Like what?" she asked, looking up at her in confusion. He smiled down at her, knowing she would likely be very good at what he wanted to teach her.

"Like showing them to others, rather than just telling them, or creating illusions. Maybe even inducing visions in others," he said, letting her go and sitting so he was facing her. She mirrored him, watching him intently.

"How would I do that?" Natasha asked, and he smiled.

"Just focus. Try to show me something," he urged. She nodded and put down the glass.

She closed her eyes and began to focus, trying to latch onto a happier memory, but the only one she could think of was of the day she said goodbye and came to Asgard. She frowned but focused on it, and instinct made her lift her right hand with her palm facing the ceiling. Once the memory was clear in her mind, her eyes snapped open and she saw a brief flash green and gold light in her palm. She practically growled in frustration before Loki rested his hand on her knee.

"You definitely did something. Try again," he urged.

She could feel energy pricking her skin, surging through her just beneath the surface, but she couldn't tap into it. She tried again and again, Loki watching her with wonder in his eyes but not saying a word, and eventually she got a tiny flame flickering in the palm of her hand for a few seconds. There was no vision attached to it and it went out almost immediately, but it was something. Better yet, it was something she could practice.

Loki was amazed. She was definitely more powerful than anyone realized, including her and especially Odin. Those cuffs and the collar he made her wear were intended to make using magic impossible. He knew because Odin had threatened to have him wear them in his cell. He would only have needed a cuff on each wrist to completely contain his magic, and he was possibly more powerful a sorcerer than anyone on Asgard. The fact that she was wearing cuffs on both arms AND a collar AND could still have visions and use her powers meant that with training, she could raze Asgard to the ground with just a wave of her hand, even with her inhibitors. He knew she never would, but she would at least be able to go home.

"Wow," was all he could say, and watched in amusement as her entire face lit up like a child's after receiving a new toy.

"I did it, well, I did something," she said in wonder. She noticed that the metal cuffs and collar were almost hot instead of their usual cold, and something told her that almost always happens after a long vision. She didn't know why, but after seeing the flash of fire in her palm, she suspected her powers had just heated them up.

Loki looked like he was about to say something, but decided against it and pulled her onto his lap. She bit her lip at the sudden contact, then realized her hour with him was almost up and Arnljot would be coming to get her. So she just let him hold her, let herself relax around the man that was once her enemy, but was now something of a friend. When Arnljot came to bring her back upstairs, Loki watched her leave, finally noticing the scars on her back that looked to be about a year old.

* * *

"Hello, Loki," Frigga said, speaking through an illusion of herself in Loki's cell.

"Mother," he said with a nod to her. "I have a request."

"You do? I've often asked you if you wanted anything, but you've never answered," the blonde woman who raised him answered, looking at him in interest. "What is it you want?"

"I would like for Natasha to come to my cell each day," he said. "I quite like her company."

"Loki, I have tried to ask if you wanted a companion before and you've always said no," she reminded him. "Why now?"

"Those girls were not _her_, Mother," he said, and she sighed.

"Very well. I will try," she promised him, then left him alone, a wide smile on his face.

* * *

When Natasha woke up the next day, Arnljot was not in the room. She was still chained, which meant he either hadn't gone far or was angry with her (which it could be either). She frowned when she heard voices and realized the door was cracked open. One was regal and definitely female, which must have been the queen, and the other was Arnljot. She couldn't make out any words, and when Arnljot came back in he was fuming.

"Why does Silvertongue want you?" he demanded, storming over to her bed.

"Wait, what?" she asked, and he slapped her.

"Don't play stupid with me, little one. I know you're quite smart, so don't even try. And have you forgotten your rules?" he asked, raising his hand to strike her again. She put up her hands in surrender.

"I'm sorry, Master," she said quietly, "but I really don't know why he wants me. I promise. But I would imagine it's similar to why you want my company. It's like you said yesterday, he could do anything he wanted and I don't have a say."

He growled angrily and slapped her again. For a minute, she worried he would beat her, but he tangled his hand in her braid and pulled tightly instead of going to the other room.

"Do not use my words against me," he said darkly as he unchained her with his free hand. "The Queen has asked me to allow you to visit him for a few hours each night when you've finished your chores. I told her you would be allowed to have your evening meal with him and be with him for three hours before I took you back, provided you don't misbehave."

She knew what he meant when he said misbehave. If he decides to not let her eat, she won't be allowed to go downstairs. While he's relatively fair and won't withhold food from her just because, he uses it as punishment for minor offenses, like forgetting her manners or speaking back. Since Loki is in a cell, he won't be able to do anything about it but complain, which she knew would be useless.

"Thank you, Master," she said, and he angrily left the room. She got up and got dressed for the day, knowing she would have to be on her best behavior. He would look for any excuse to punish her now, no matter how small the reason, so she had to make sure she did everything exactly the way he wanted. When Misty came with her breakfast, she told her friend the news.

"So I won't be bringing your dinner anymore?" she asked, having enjoyed talking with Natasha at the end of her day.

"No, I suppose not, but we can talk about everything in the mornings. Actually, Misty, do you think you could come in after I finish my chores and undo the braids, maybe leaving my hair down? I miss my curls," she asked, and Misty smiled.

"I'll see what I can do. I have to ask Arnljot about leaving it down, but I can definitely do a crown braid or something where most of your hair is loose," she promised. Natasha smiled and hugged her tightly.

"Thank you," she said before sitting down and letting Misty do her job.

* * *

After finishing her chores, Natasha made her way back to her room, barely containing a smile. She wasn't sure if she was smiling about spending more time with Loki or being away from Arnljot for three hours, but she was happy. Misty was already there, waiting for her with a huge grin.

"He said I could leave most of your hair loose," the silver-haired girl said before the door even closed behind Natasha, who grinned at her.

"Then let's get working," she said, sitting down eagerly. Misty undid the braids expertly, and set about doing a waterfall braid, putting some kind of cream in her curls to preserve the look and keep them from getting frizzy.

When she was finished, Natasha's fiery curls were loose around her shoulders and expertly styled so they looked shorter in the front and gradually got longer. To her amazement, her hair had grown enough that it reached halfway down her back, and she realized it had been close to 15 months since she had last had a haircut. The bright red was a stark contrast to her creamy pale skin and black and gold ensemble, and Misty had expertly woven a few golden clips and other baubles into the braid. To say it simply, she looked beautiful. Arnljot did a double take when he saw her, and huffed before bringing her to the kitchen to get hers and Loki's meal.

He made her carry the food as they walked down to the dungeon in silence, and he practically pushed her into the cell. She was careful not to drop the food and set it down on the table. She looked over at Loki to see him glaring at Arnljot before he did something to the walls and they darkened, leaving the two alone.

"What did he do?" Natasha asked him, and he shrugged.

"Orders of the Queen. When I asked if you would be brought in, she thought I meant as a companion, and ordered them to darken the walls so we wouldn't be watched," Loki said simply, coming over and touching her shoulder. "You look beautiful, by the way. I much prefer your hair down."

"Thank you," she said, motioning to the food while she tried to hide her blush. No one had called her beautiful in a very long time. Loki pulled out one of the chairs for her to sit in, which was oddly gentlemanly of him, but she sat down and blushed even more. He sat opposite her and served the meal, then tilted her chin up to look at him, smiling slightly at her.

"Do I make you nervous?" he asked her, and she shook her head quickly.

"No. It's just, you're being kind to me," she said softly, and he nodded.

"Of course I am. Natasha, my mother was wrong in her assumptions of why I want you here, but the privacy is nice. I enjoy your company, and I want to train you so you can control your powers more. I have no intention of harming you," he said honestly.

"You would be my friend?" she asked, causing him to smile brightly.

"I would, if you would have me," he answered, and she nodded.

"I would," she said. The pair ate in silence for a while, but Natasha couldn't stop smiling, and eventually Loki couldn't help but laugh quietly at her. She had frowned and threw a small piece of bread at him, hitting him right between the eyes, but that only made him laugh harder because _by the Norns she looked adorable when she frowned like that_, and she quickly joined in.

After half an hour, they had finished eating and had moved the table to the side of the room so they could have an open area to train in. She was itching to train in hand to hand after a year, so Loki sparred with her for a good half an hour before he got tired from lack of practice. Natasha was still as good as she had been a year ago, and had beaten him every round.

"Have you trained at all since coming to Asgard?" he asked, and she shook her head, making her still-perfect curls bounce. He stopped himself from staring by getting them each a glass of water from the pitcher on the table.

"No. I guess it's just muscle memory, but shouldn't I have lost a lot of that muscle from not training?" she asked, and he shrugged.

"It might be the enhancements you received as a child, it might be your magic, but it's likely a mix of both. If I had to guess, the stuff they pumped into your body to make you stronger and look more, mature, reacted with your developing magic and strengthened it, making you even stronger," he said, thinking about what he had learned of her from Clint and realized that it could be very true. She nodded as if it made all the sense in the world.

"I guess that makes sense. It's nice to know I haven't lost anything," she said with a smile, and he grinned at her before finishing his glass.

"Shall we move onto your magic training?" Loki asked, and she nodded quickly and finished her drink as well.

"I think that's a good idea," she said, and he motioned for her to sit on the bed. She did, sitting in the far corner facing out, and he sat across from her with his back to the darkened cell wall that functioned as the entrance. "Are we going to continue with the same thing as yesterday?"

"Yes, but this time, don't just try what you did yesterday. If it doesn't work the first few times, try to put it directly into my mind, like this," he said, demonstrating by reaching over and streaming a small amount of magic into her mind so she would see an image of a young Loki playing tricks on Thor and his friends. He made sure it was just enough magic to make her see an image, not harm her in any way. She smiled and laughed quietly when the image faded, then nodded her head and closed her eyes.

She focused again, pulling up the same memory as the day before. This time when she tried to show him, she managed to get a bigger, brighter flame, and after a few tries he could see a hazy image, but it wasn't enough for him to see what she wanted to show him. He could see a lot of people that looked vaguely familiar, but that was it. She tried harder, using more energy to focus it, and about fifteen minutes into the training session she had succeeded.

He watched as she said goodbye to the other Avengers, the Director, his right hand (or maybe he should say his left eye), the man he had killed who had shot him through a wall on the carrier, and a few others he didn't recognize but he assumed were her friends. Barton and Stark were standing next to each other, and when Natasha came to hug them goodbye, he noticed Stark had his arm wrapped around the shorter man. He chuckled as Natasha threatened to kill him if he hurt Barton, remembering how fond she was of him, and listened as she promised all of them that she would come home one day. The vision faded when Thor asked Heimdall to open the Bifrost.

He looked up to congratulate her, but was shocked to see tears building in her green eyes. Loki had never seen her cry, not even in Barton's memories, and realized that that memory was hard for her to bear. It had been a year and she was no closer to going home than she was when she arrived. He pulled her in for a hug, running his fingers through her extremely soft curls and marveling at how they would bounce back into place almost immediately after he let them go. Apparently the repetitive sensation soothed her, because after a few minutes of that she had calmed down and was sitting up with a smile.

"Thank you," Loki murmured before she could say anything, and she looked at him in confusion.

"For what?" she asked, and he smiled at her before taking her hand.

"Showing me that," he answered, and while she likely thought he meant the vision, he actually meant her emotions. While he would never want anyone else to see her so vulnerable, for her to show him that side of her was a sign of trust that he treasured.

"Oh. Of course," she said, still confused but shrugging it off. He grinned at her.

"So, I want you to try what I showed you earlier. Show me something else," he said, and she nodded and tried to find another memory. She latched onto the one where she was welcomed into her family, and built up enough energy around it that she could try to push it into his mind. Eventually she managed it, and watched in amazement as his eyes flashed green and gold, the way Clint had said her eyes do when she has a vision.

"That's why you're so fond of them," he said in wonder. "They adopted you."

"They did. Well, Clint is the one who officially raised me, but they all kind of did. Fury was always like a grandfather to me, and Maria and Coulson were kind of like an aunt and uncle. They're my family, and they always will be," she said, smiling sadly. Loki was fascinated by how she had accepted them and they accepted her, but before he could say anything, she continued. "You know, your family is kind of the same way. Yes, they lied to you, where my family never lied about what I was or tried to hide it, but Thor _still_ fights for you and talks about all the adventures you two went on, and all the mischief you would cause. Your mother obviously still cares for you like her own, or she wouldn't have convinced Arnljot to let me come here. Odin, well, I don't know that Odin can feel any emotion other than anger and 'the lack of anger' towards some people, but he didn't have you killed for your crimes against Asgard and Midgard, which shows he does care for you. I think that had you stayed on Asgard that day instead of letting go and coming to attack Midgard, you would have been forgiven."

"How, how did you know all of that? Did Thor tell you?" he asked, taken aback by what she said, and she shook her head.

"The vision I had yesterday, when I collapsed, was about your life. From the time Odin took you from Jotunheim as a baby to Frigga trying to make you as comfortable as possible after being locked up," she admitted, and Loki's eyes widened. So she had seen everything of his past, and still had opened up to him afterwards.

"You still trust me?" he asked her, and she shot him a look.

"Of course I do. You're my friend Loki, and I don't say that to everyone. It's a lot of trust, and has to be earned, but I think you've earned it. Besides, neither of us have many friends on Asgard," she said, and Loki smiled.

"Thank you," he said, but then frowned. "Don't you at least have Thor and his friends?"

"I haven't seen Thor since I came to Asgard, and I've never met his friends," she told him. "The only other friend I have is Misty, who does my hair, and one of the guards is sort of my friend. His name is Audun."

"One of the guards is nice to you?" Loki asked, surprised, and she laughed quietly.

"It's probably only because he's gay," she said honestly, and he smiled at how okay she was with that fact, knowing it was likely because of Clint. "So, we still have close to an hour."

"You want to try something else, don't you?" he asked, impressed by her eagerness to learn what he excelled at. She nodded, making her curls bounce again, and he found himself staring. He quietly cleared his throat and smiled at her. "Do you want to try an illusion?"

"What would I make?" she asked, and he paused to think about it.

"You could make anything you wanted, really. Illusions are harder, especially if you want them to be solid, so maybe you should start with something easy," he suggested. She thought for a moment and then closed her eyes to focus. He watched the cuffs and collar shimmer as they tried to contain her magic, but eventually she beat them and had created a kitten on the bed that looked to be about six weeks old. He smiled as it began to jump around, and while it clearly wasn't solid, it was adorable. It was black with gold tips and one green and one gold eye, and had little streaks of fiery red running through it's fur. She continued to focus on it, trying to make it solid and tangible, when suddenly the kitten flickered and she cried out in pain.

"What?" Loki asked, concern clearly evident in his voice. She had curled in on herself, trying not to scream, and he realized the cuffs and collar were burning her skin. Acting on instinct, he changed into his Jotun form and grabbed the cuffs on her wrist with his icy hands. They burned him at first, but as he carefully nudged her head back and began to kiss the collar at her neck, they started cooling off. The kitten disappeared, likely because one of them touched it, and when the cuffs had completely cooled he moved his hands to her neck. He made sure to only touch the burning metal until it was no longer burning her. Then he changed back, making sure to change his hands last so they could finish bringing the temperature down and kissed the skin on her neck gently.

He sat up and saw tears spilling down her cheeks. He used his magic to heal her, knowing that gone unchecked these cuffs could kill someone if they tried to use their magic (or in her case, used too much for too long), and when he was done he carefully wiped her tears away. He moved them so his back was against the wall and held her, and she cried into his shoulder. He started running his fingers through her hair again, keeping his other arm securely around her so she felt safe. He figured she wasn't really crying from the pain - since when he healed her it should have stopped hurting - but that the pain from the binds Odin put her in a year ago was what set her off to cry about everything she'd been through.

She was small enough that her head fit perfectly under his chin and against his shoulder, but with how he was holding her, all he could notice was how much weight she had lost in a year. His fingers would brush against the scars on her back as they ran through her curls - scars he knew weren't there when she was on Midgard - and he knew he would be able to see her ribs if she took off the corset. He quickly stopped thinking about that, wanting to help her, not make it worse, and started thinking about something she had said the day before. Her visions were coming almost every day now. Why haven't the binds done this before? Is it the magic that shows her her visions is subtle enough that it doesn't trigger them? Or is it so strong that it beats them? He didn't know, and he doubted she even understood what was going on, so he just held her tighter. He would kill Odin for this. At that very moment, she stiffened in his arms and he sensed rather than saw the spark of green and gold magic.

_Loki was standing over Odin's lifeless body, holding the King's spear in his right hand. He kneeled down next to his adopted father's body and whispered something Natasha couldn't hear, then stood as green light began to overtake his body. When the light dissipated, Loki had shifted into Odin's form, and disposed of the body with a wave of his hand. He smiled before leaving the room._

As the vision faded, the shock of it freaked her out more and made her cry harder. Loki pressed a feather-light kiss in her hair and started humming an Asgardian lullaby his mother taught him.

"Loki what, what was that?" Natasha whispered when she had calmed down enough to speak, and she looked so small and fragile that it made him angry. He was angry with Odin for punishing her this way, angry with that guard for doing this to her, angry with Thor for bringing her here, and finally, he was angry with himself for being the one who triggered her visions. Had he never gone to Midgard, had he never met her, she would never have come to Asgard. She may never even have started having visions.

"Those cuffs and the collar you wear," Loki said, brushing his fingertips along them lightly, "are meant to prevent the use of magic. Just the two cuffs would be enough to contain my magic and stop me from using it at all, and the collar is more powerful than both of them combined. I've never seen the collar used before. There hasn't been a sorcerer strong enough to merit its use. You wear all three and you still use your magic every day without coming to harm. I suppose that today you used it for long enough that it would trigger the backup plan to prevent using magic while wearing them."

"Wait, so I'm not supposed to be having visions and training while wearing them?" she asked, looking up at him. He noticed dimly that she had three little red spots at the corner of her right eye that kind of formed a flower.

"No, you're not. It should be impossible to use magic. The burning is like a Plan B, on the off chance that anyone COULD use magic while wearing them. Maybe while wearing one cuff, and there's a slight chance wearing both, but the collar alone should have no chance," he told her, his eyes totally serious, trying to convey just how important what he was telling her was. "You're wearing all three. You shouldn't be having visions or making light appear in your hand or showing me things or making illusions, let alone solid illusions."

"Well it's not like they're broken, so how am I able to do that stuff?" she asked him.

"They're definitely not broken," he agreed, then paused to think. "Actually, I think you COULD break them, after some training. I don't know how you can still practice, but please don't let the burning stop you. Don't use your powers unless you're with me, just in case it happens again, but I still want to teach you. You learn quickly."

She smiled then, and leaned in to kiss his cheek. Arnljot came to take her away not long after, and Natasha disappeared for the night.

* * *

**Soooo, that all happened. What did you guys think? Still want me to continue? How is Heimdall going to react (that'll be in Chapter 10)? Remember, every time three reviews are posted saying "Yes," I'll post the next chapter.**

**Did anyone catch the cameo? Guess it right and I'll post Chapter 8! (I'll give one more hint: it's in the paragraph about Misty's background on Vanaheim.)**

**Snowflakes of love and fun to you all! ~Des**


	8. Chapter 8: Finding Home

**Ok, you guys get the next chapter! You have Guest Ninja0404 to thank for correctly guessing the cameos! For those of you who hadn't guessed yet, the cameos were of Jack and Elsa (Misty is Jack's sister, don't judge). You go, Ninja0404!**

**So, no cameos in this chapter (unless you count a few lines referencing dialogue from the movies) *tear*, but there's more bonding in this chapter, and more of Natasha using her powers. She's not doing anything too major yet, but there are some, surprises, for the end of the chapter. Really this whole chapter is just full of surprises, and some weird, messed up logic that I created for the purposes of plot in the name of fanfiction (so there), and I hope you all have fun reading the roller coaster that is chapter 8.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Finding Home**

The next night, Loki was pacing the cell waiting for her. She was late, and the longer it took for her to get to him, the more worried he got. A pair of guards walked past his cell talking, likely leaving as their shift ended, and he strained his ears to listen.

"You know she hasn't gotten pregnant yet? Odin doesn't even have her on any contraception," the first one said, and his friend snickered.

"Apparently she isn't even good for that," he snarked, and Loki began to fume. "She can't be used for breeding. It must come from being a mutt."

Loki was about to retort when they rounded a corner and walked away. He clenched his fists, and his magic made some of the furniture in the room go flying. He sighed and waved his hand to clean up before Natasha got there, and began to create simple illusions to let out the rest of his frustration.

He wasn't sure why he felt so protective of the former agent. He suspected part of it was he knew some of her past from Clint's memories, but it was more than that. She wouldn't talk about what was happening to her, she had cried openly around him, she had shown him some of her fonder memories of her little family and the day she said goodbye, and he could tell she was injured, but she still wasn't broken. He didn't understand why - he didn't understand her - but he wanted to try. He knew the Einherjar had her, have had her for a year without him even knowing, and he knew of the cruelty they were capable of. They say horrible things about the prisoners, and he's heard of them doing horrible things to women they've captured or conquered. The thought of them doing that to Natasha made him see red, and wondered dimly if that was why her hair was so naturally vibrant.

Suddenly he heard two sets of footsteps coming towards him, and looked out to see Natasha and Arnljot. Natasha was carrying the tray of food and had her head down so her long red curls hid her face. Natasha was pushed inside his cell and Loki had to move quickly to catch her so she didn't fall. She put the tray on the table as her handler darkened the walls, and Loki gently scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bed. He held her in his lap as he stroked her hair, not liking how much she was trembling. He could tell she was trying to pull herself together, and she still hadn't looked up at him.

"Natasha," he said quietly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She didn't answer.

"Natasha," he tried again, but still no response. He gently moved some of her hair behind her shoulder to run his fingertips along the edge of her collar, and noticed large, finger-shaped bruises on her neck and shoulders, and a long but not too deep cut across the length of her left collarbone. His blood boiled.

"Natasha, what did he do?" Loki demanded, trying to keep his voice gentle so she wouldn't think he was mad at her. This time, when she didn't answer, he tilted her head up, and saw bruises forming under her right eye and along her jaw. Her lip had split and she had a gash along her hairline, and Loki practically growled when he saw drying blood on her upper thighs. "I'll kill him."

"Loki, I'm fine. Really," Natasha said quietly, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "I've had worse."

"Tasha, that's bullshit and we both know it," he said, the nickname just slipping out, but she didn't seem to notice. He softened his tone slightly as he continued. "You really can't lie to the God of Lies. They're kind of my thing. Please, what did he do?"

"I can't go back to Clint in a body bag," she whispered, and his eyes widened.

"What?" Loki asked, not understanding.

"I had a vision a year ago where Thor found out what they were doing to me and was yelling at Odin, and they killed me because they thought I told him," she murmured. "I'm afraid they would do the same thing if you found out…"

"Natasha, I wouldn't let them do that to you," he told her softly, pulling her close. "Please, show me what they did. Think of it as training. I'm asking you to show me something you've seen."

After a few moments she began trembling harder, but touched his temple gently. There was a flash of green and gold light behind his eyes, and suddenly he was watching Arnljot hurt her.

_"If your tongue wasn't so useful I'd cut it out," the guard growled at her as he chained her in a small room with a stone floor and two small windows on one side. She was on her knees, with one chain attached to her cuffs, holding her arms above her head, and another one attached to her collar, binding her to the floor. He watched as he pulled out a riding crop with small gold spikes on one side that he had obviously used before and an intricate gold dagger that Loki recognized. It had been his, once upon a time. He watched as the asshole did unspeakable things to her, hitting her face whenever she cried out too loudly. Arnljot took the dagger and cut her collarbone with it, then trailed the flat edge of the dagger along the inside of her thighs. Loki winced when she whimpered quietly and the guard jerked his hand upwards, then roughly pulled the now-bloodied dagger down and away from her, leaving a trail of blood down her thighs. Tears began to spill down her cheeks, running across the bruises that were just beginning to show, and he finally unchained her and made her clean herself off. A young girl with silvery-blue hair and lavender eyes came in once she was clean and fixed her hair so the curls could cover Natasha's injuries, then Arnljot made her walk to the kitchen on unsteady legs and all the way down to the dungeon..._

Loki held her tighter as the vision faded and he processed what he had seen. That douchebag had done all of that to her, and Natasha still said she'd had worse? How much could someone possibly go through and still be so strong? He gently stood up, still holding her, and laid her down on her back. He used his magic to heal her injuries one at a time so he could focus more energy into them, and pressed gentle kisses to where each injury had been once it vanished.

After he had healed the cut on her collar bone, he touched the zipper of her corset and waited for her permission to unzip it. When she nodded, he took off her leather bodice and began to heal the injuries there, some older, some newer and still bruised, and found a rather large scar on her left hip. He traced it gently, wondering where it came from.

"The man who did that isn't really supposed to exist," she said quietly, staring at the ceiling and trying to calm down.

"What do you mean?" he asked, urging her to continue.

"He's a ghost. An assassin who goes by the name Winter Soldier. He rarely ever appears. I was protecting his target and he shot him right through me," she said, then smirked as if remembering an old joke. "Bye-bye bikinis."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure you'd look awful in them now," he said, teasing her and causing her to laugh softly. He was amazed that she could still say things like that and joke around, amazed that she could even laugh after everything she's been through. On instinct, he leaned down and kissed the scar tissue gently, causing her to shiver as he moved on to heal the rest of her wounds.

He was nervous about healing the knife wound, if only because of where it was. He waited until the end to heal it, making sure to heal the rest of her scars and wounds first. When he finally had to heal it, he paused and fingered the gold decorations on her skirt.

"May I?" Loki asked, and when she nodded he carefully removed the black leather. What he saw was worse than he would have thought. She was still bleeding from an ugly wound in her core that he knew wasn't just her period. He couldn't imagine how much it would have hurt, and began to heal her as gently and thoroughly as possible. She squirmed a little from discomfort, though he could tell she tried not to move, and he apologized repeatedly until she was fully healed and he was sure she wouldn't scar. He used magic to conjure a damp towel and gently cleaned off the blood, then used a different spell to dispose of the cloth and create a soft, green, traditional silk Asgardian robe with gold runes embroidered into the fabric for protection, healing, and magic amplification. He helped her put it on, wrapping the fabric so she was covered elegantly, and tried not to stare.

The emerald green of her dress made her eyes even greener than usual, and seemed to make her hair a softer red, so she looked more like a beautiful red rose than the fire he was used to. The gold embroidery shimmered when she moved, and reacted with the collar and cuffs to make them look more like jewelry than binds. A loose strip of the silk looped through the ring on her collar and around her neck once before looping back through and wrapping around her waist. The bodice was fitted but not tight, and had cap sleeves, a scoop neckline and a scooping back, with a piece of gold silk with green embroidery draped from the back of the dress like a cape. The skirt was long and flowing, perfect for dancing in, and touched the floor in a way that made her look like she was floating. He created a pair of green silk slippers for her with a gold sole and heel, and put a spell on the pins in her hair so they had a little emerald on them and could be used as a weapon if she was attacked again. She looked like a goddess, and was possibly more beautiful than anyone in Odin's court.

"How do I look?" Natasha asked quietly, admiring the green silks she was wearing, and Loki conjured a mirror so she could see herself. She gasped almost inaudibly at her reflection, and he smiled at her before brushing her red curls behind her shoulders.

"Like a goddess," he said without thinking. Her eyes widened almost imperceptibly in surprise, then she turned back to the mirror and tried to hide a blush. He smiled at her, then a thought struck him. "Nat, can I ask you something?"

"Depends on what it is. But after this I get to ask you as many questions as I want," she replied, and Loki laughed.

"Fair enough. I was just wondering - and it's kind of a stupid question really, but I wanted to make sure - have you ever had sex for your own pleasure?" the God asked her quietly. He felt bad for asking her such a personal question, especially when the answer is pretty obvious because _come on, she's beautiful and talented and strong and-_

"No," she said simply, tracing one of the protective runes on her dress, and he stared at her blankly for a moment. _What?_

"Really? Why not?" he asked, part of him not wanting to pry, but a much bigger part of him was appalled that she would go through the kinds of abuse she has been without ever having some kind of pleasure from it.

"It never seemed important. I do whatever it takes to finish the mission, and while I try not to resort to sleeping with my targets, sometimes I have to. I've never felt the need to date or anything like that, and besides, I have way too many trust issues for it to work out," she said with a shrug. She would never apologize for who she is, and Loki admired it. He sat down on the bed, motioning for her to sit next to him, and when she did he wrapped an arm around her gently.

"If you ever wanted to, and you felt like you trusted me enough, I would like to show you how sex can be pleasurable," he said, and hoped that she wouldn't think he was just trying to use her like everyone else. He may have threatened that once upon a time, but he wouldn't really do it. She fascinated him, and he would never risk destroying something that could fascinate him. Besides, he had some of Clint's memories of her, and after seeing how eager she was to train and do something worthy of her intelligence, he wanted to learn more about her.

"Maybe I will. But not while I wear the collar and cuffs," she told him, just as the room began to spin and her vision swam. Her eyes flashed green and gold, making the embroidered runes glow softly, and he held her as she lost connection to the world around her.

_She sitting on the grass in a beautiful garden, surrounded by roses as red as her hair, reading a book and mindlessly practicing her magic. The book was written in an ancient language, and she recognized the script from the embroidery on her gown and the books she had seen in Loki's cell. Her collar and cuffs were both gone, and her green and gold slippers were sitting next to her. Her bare feet were tucked under her, with her skirt draped in a wide circle around her. The dress she was wearing was the same one Loki had just made her, but with elegant gold armor on the torso that was decorated with small jewels, and the strip of fabric at her neck was gone. Her fiery red hair fell in long, layered curls down to her waist, with a portion of it braided elegantly and a few wisps of curls framing her face. She had her gold and emerald pins in her braid, and had something that looked like a beautiful gold tiara on top of her head, studded with diamonds and rubies and emeralds. She was wearing a ring on her left hand, with a large diamond set in the center of a beautiful gold band, with emerald runes spaced evenly around the circumference of the ring. She smiled when she noticed the only other jewelry she was wearing was the silver arrow necklace Clint had given her. _

_A woman came over to her, with her long dark hair pulled into a tight ponytail, and she was wearing red leather and silver armor that Natasha could tell made it easy to move and fight. She bowed to her, and as she stood up, Natasha realized it must be Sif. Thor had told her many stories, and the redhead had always wanted to meet her. The two seemed to be friends already, and had an animated discussion about something that Natasha couldn't hear very clearly. She heard a few words, mainly "Queen" and "Loki" and "children" (at which Natasha's hand rested on her stomach for a moment) and then the warrior left to go find Thor and the Warriors Three._

_Once she was gone, Natasha went back to her book, and there was a flash of green light off to the side. Loki walked into view holding a rose, and sat down next to her. The robes and helm he was wearing made him look like a proper Asgardian king. Something told her he would normally be in his full armor, but he had decided to dress down for the day. She noticed he was wearing a gold band on his left hand as well, with matching emerald runes set in the gold at even intervals. He tucked the rose into her braid, and she watched as he waved his fingers and the rose turned into jewels. He kissed her temple then, and she heard herself laugh quietly as his hand rested on her waist and he nuzzled into her neck._

_"You spoil me," she said quietly, and he chuckled._

_"After everything, I think you deserve it," he told her, and she smiled as she set down her book._

_"Who would've thought that the Black Widow and the God of Lies would rule a kingdom?" she asked, almost too quietly to be heard, but Loki obviously did._

_"Who would've thought the Black Widow would trust the God of Lies enough to marry him?" he asked in response, and Natasha felt her heart stop for a minute while her vision-self just smiled brilliantly at him. _They were married? That would explain the rings…and the crown… _Loki kissed her forehead as he continued, "How is she?"_

_"She's fine. She likes it when I read to her," Natasha murmured. Loki smiled and kissed her gently, pulling her into his arms to hold her close. She melted into the kiss, trying to be even closer to him, and was shocked to feel an overwhelming sense of _home _._

When the vision faded, she found she was curled up in Loki's arms and he was playing with her hair while he waited. She was slightly shaken by what she had seen, but began to brush it off as simply a potential future, like the vision of Thor yelling at Odin and her death was, or the vision of her stuck as Kitty.

"What did you see?" Loki asked her quietly, still playing with her hair, and she played with the edge of his tunic.

"I was, home," she started, and he looked down at her curiously. "I was married, which I never would have imagined just a year ago or even before now, and I had a baby on the way, a girl. I was happy and I was home."

"Oh. How did you know you were pregnant?" he asked her, and she sighed.

"I know the guards think I can't get pregnant, and I wouldn't be surprised or offended if you thought the same thing, but I actually am fertile. It's something to do with the enhancements I received in the Red Room, but I never really understood it. I think one of the functions of the serum was to make it so I could get pregnant and be able to get pregnant young, but only under certain conditions so I wouldn't get pregnant unless it was decided I should be used for their version of breeding. They wanted a better, stronger, faster agent that they believed could only be the biological child of two of their strongest agents. If I would be deemed worthy, I think I would be taken away from the base for a year or so to a safe house with the agent I would be paired up with so that I could get pregnant and have a kid that would be given to the Red Room to serve the country. If I wasn't, I would undergo their graduation ceremony where they would sterilize the girls. Clint took me away before that was brought up, but I think I was going to be sent away with a man because my last mission briefing took place with one of the higher up agents watching who normally wasn't involved in my work, but who had been involved in my, punishments, at least once on his own. Because I was so young when I met Clint, I never actually found out what they did to my cycle, but I get periods regularly until I'm supposed to go on a mission or I'm in a situation like right now. I haven't had a period since just before I arrived in Asgard," she said, pausing to gauge his reaction before continuing. "I knew I was pregnant because I kept hearing the word children, and my husband would ask how 'she' is while resting his hand over my stomach area. I guess it was really more instinct than anything else, but I just knew."

"Oh," Loki said thoughtfully, holding her closer. "Who was your husband?"

"I couldn't tell," Natasha lied smoothly, hoping he wouldn't call her out on it. "He did like to spoil me though, and I could tell he loved me and I loved him."

"Sounds like the kind of guy you deserve," he told her, not realizing that she had meant him. He was kind of sad that she hadn't said it was him, but knew he likely didn't deserve someone like her after everything he's done, and while he would love to have a child he could raise, he had children of his own already and wouldn't push his luck trying to have more with her.

"I guess he is," she said absentmindedly, still playing with his tunic. The image of her and Loki together had burned itself into her mind, and she didn't think she wanted to get rid of it. While it wasn't in the cards either of them were dealt, it could be a fun fantasy to entertain and help her cope with the long life she had ahead of her.

They were both quiet during dinner, having everything to say but neither having the words to start. They trained together for a while, the runes on Natasha's dress canceling out the negative effects of the collar and magnifying her abilities, until it was almost time for her to leave for the night. Loki helped her change back into the outfit Arnljot makes her wear and carefully hid her gown so she would have it for future use. He took the jewels out of her hair as well, so they wouldn't be taken, and crafted a special box for them and her shoes. The box was an auburn-colored mahogany with a green and gold lily design on the lid, surrounded by fiery red ruby roses. He tucked everything away and then hid the box with her gown so they wouldn't be found unintentionally.

Once that was all done and she was as ready as she'd ever be for Arnljot to come get her, Loki laid back on the bed and pulled Natasha close. He was surprised at how she fit against him, as if that was where she belonged, and he gently brushed her hair behind her shoulder so he could nuzzle her neck. Her breath caught for a moment as she remembered her vision, but she didn't stop him. She just reached up to card her fingers through his hair and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against his chest. She began to feel like this could be her home, and the realization both scared her and comforted her.

"Thank you, Loki," she whispered, just as the wall began to lighten. He murmured something against her neck before reluctantly letting her go, and she quickly kissed his temple before walking to where the wall would open and she would be taken away for the night.

* * *

Arnljot was not happy when they got back to Natasha's room. He chained her to the bed and climbed up on top of her, and when he realized Loki had healed her, he was even angrier. Before he could move off her, however, Natasha touched his temple and pushed some subtle magic into his mind to make him forget he had hurt her. She made him think she had been perfectly behaved, and when the magic faded and he smiled at her, she knew it had worked.

"Oh little one, you've been so good for me and the others. You've followed every order perfectly, haven't you?" Arnljot asked, and it was such a contrast to how he normally speaks to her that it almost scared her. Could her magic really be this good?

"Yes master," she said quietly, not wanting to break the spell. He chuckled softly at her.

"I know, little one. That's why I have a surprise for you. Tomorrow night, the king is having a celebration, and I offered to let you go as entertainment for the guests. You'll get a new dress and Misty will come do your hair and makeup. The only thing you'll have to do is put on a little show and strip when I tell you, and then open your legs for whichever men I give you to. If you behave, you'll get to spend an entire night with Silvertongue in his cell, rather than just three hours. Does that sound like a deal?" he asked her, and she blanked for a minute. She could either spend a night doing what he wanted and then get an entire night with Loki, or she could refuse and risk never seeing Loki again. It wasn't really an option.

"Yes, master," she whispered, and he smiled almost drunkenly before kissing her forehead and lying down next to her.

"Good girl. Now, get some sleep. You will be excused from your chores tomorrow to prepare for the party," he said, pulling her against him uncomfortably, and she couldn't help but mentally compare him to Loki. When Loki held her like this, she fit perfectly and it felt right. When Arnljot holds her like this, it feels so wrong that it almost makes her sick.

When she was sure he'd fallen asleep, she touched Arnljot's temple lightly once more and pushed some magic into his dreams. She filled them with images of Audun and him together, happy and in love. She wasn't sure how the vision would be received, but it was worth a shot. A big part of her was telling her that he was bisexual, if not gay, but she couldn't tell for sure and she wasn't sure if Arnljot was really worthy of being with Audun, who was nothing but kind to her. She pictured them together and focused on the image in her mind's eye until her head spun, her vision swam, and she lost all connection to the world around her.

_Natasha's vision was more like a scene from that 50 Shades book than anything else. Audun was tied to the bed by what looked like belts while Arnljot was beating him and fucking him senseless. It was almost as bad as what he would do to her, only it looked more natural and that scared her. Audun was crying and the sight of it broke her heart. She couldn't let this vision come true. No one deserved to go through that._

When the vision faded and she opened her eyes, she had expected to be in Loki's arms with him brushing her hair while he waited for her. Instead, she was pressed against Arnljot's chest, inhaling his nasty body odor as he slept soundly. She stopped herself from gagging and a feeling of utter wrongness washed over her that made her want to cry. She missed her family and her friends on Midgard, but the strange part was she also missed Loki. A year ago she would have thought that would be impossible, and yet here she was, a sex slave for the guards in the palace of Asgard, lying in bed with the man who makes her call him Master, wishing she was with the God locked in the dungeons below her.

When she finally fell asleep, she dreamt of her vision from earlier, with Loki as her husband and a daughter on the way, both of them freed from their prisons and ruling Asgard.

* * *

**So, a bit of fluffy stuff, and a bit of painful stuff, and maybe a little foreshadowing? What's going to happen at the party, do you think?**

**Remember, three "Yes" reviews and you get the next chapter! Then you'll get to see what happens at the party! And I may consider updating early again if you can name all of the movies I took dialogue from to use as a "cameo" even though I don't think dialogue really counts.**

**Snowflakes of love and fun to you all! ~Des**


	9. Chapter 9: The Shadows Killed the Light

**Hello from the other side!**

****Hey everyone! I am so sorry. You guys must think I died with how long it's taken me to update. I don't even know how to explain it. School, homework, applications, and a close friend being in the hospital really affected me. I'm sorry.****

****Anyway, I hope you enjoy this! The next two chapters are kind of an emotional roller-coaster, so hold on to your feels and keep your hands, feet, and objects secured in the ride at all times. (You can stop following me for that if you want to...I completely understand.)****

* * *

**Chapter 9: The Shadows Killed the Light**

Natasha spent the entire next day practicing her routine (which was similar to the one she had used as Kitty for the photo shoots), making sure she could smoothly take off the black lace and gold adornments she was ordered to wear. She was wearing black lace that looped through the ring on her collar and wrapped around her chest to form a makeshift bra that she tied shut in a bow in the front, a matching thong that she tied shut in a bow at her tailbone, and some gold chains that were artfully draped over her body that she knew were really for after her show. Her shoes were gold heels with skintight black lace and gold chains, and her hair was braided and piled on top of her head with small gold chains woven into it. Hours later, she was ready and it was time for the celebration. Arnljot came over to her after dismissing Misty with a decorative gold muzzle in one hand and wrapped his other hand around her neck.

"You will not fight me, little one, or you won't be spending any time with Silvertongue for a long time," he threatened, even though he really didn't need to, and Natasha nodded almost imperceptibly. He fit the muzzle over her face, tightening and securing it so she couldn't even imagine speaking. He attached it to her collar with a delicate looking chain, then got her lead chain from the bed and hooked it to her collar as well, smirking when he saw her. "I think I'll use the muzzle more. It suits you."

As she looked at herself in the mirror, she began to dread what the night would bring. The muzzle was full of intricate, swirling designs that almost looked like leaves, and while it was ridiculously uncomfortable, it was pretty. Had it been a headpiece or a necklace or something and not a muzzle, she might have worn it willingly. She really wasn't sure why the muzzle was necessary, but she wasn't about to argue. He tugged on her chain and she reluctantly crawled after him, only half listening as he began to speak about how the party was in celebration of their victory on Vanaheim against some other realm.

He walked her to a smaller side room, with a makeshift stage rising above the benches in front of it. Arnljot led her up a set of stairs to the side and took the chain off her collar before lifting her arms high above her head and securing her cuffs to a chain dangling from the ceiling. Her feet were barely on the floor, and he uncoiled one of the chains on each shoe and locked them to the floor so she couldn't try to close her legs. He ran his hands over her body, and she tried not to flinch, but any time she would move or he could move her, he would tighten the chains. Eventually she was stretched out and unable to move anything but her head, and even moving her head was difficult when he was done with her. She was like a living museum piece (gods, she would never tease Steve about that again), and men were already wandering in to see. Arnljot wrapped a hand around her neck and leaned in close.

"They can do whatever they want, little one. I'm going to leave for a little while and enjoy the party, and when I'm good and ready I'll come unchain you for your show. I already have a few men picked out for you, and I'll pick out a few more as the night goes on. You'll be handed over to them after the show," he told her, then pinched her ass and left. She watched as he spoke to the men who had wandered in and laughed with them, then strode out of the room as the men walked over to her.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, not wanting to watch the men gawk at her, and tried to ignore the rude comments she heard in both English and Asgardian. After more than a year, she was starting to pick up the language, but mainly just knew the horrible things the Einherjar guards say to and about her, and a few things she's learned from her visions. She focused on keeping her breathing even when they started touching her roughly, and reminded herself that at the end of this she would spend a night with Loki and could train instead of going back to Arnljot after only three hours. She felt a vision begin to form, but she willed it away and repressed it, not wanting the men touching her to know what she could do. She tried to clear her mind until eventually the men left, laughing about something and obviously going to get a drink.

As soon as they had gone, her head began to spin and she grabbed onto the chains holding her wrists above her head. Her vision swam, and this time she didn't fight it, knowing that as long as she was alone it didn't matter. Her eyes slid shut as she lost all connection to the world around her...

_She was standing in a large room that she quickly recognized as part of Tony's floor in Avengers Tower. The room was decorated lavishly, as if for a party, and the lights were dimmed. Candles were lit everywhere, and she turned when she heard voices. She saw Clint and Tony sitting next to each other at the table, with all of Clint's favorite foods spread out on the counter behind them. The billionaire had his arm around the archer's shoulders, and anyone could tell they loved each other. As the meal was finished, Tony led Clint out onto the balcony, which had been decorated just as lavishly as the rest of the floor. They talked, and Natasha couldn't hear what was being said, but she gasped when Tony got down on one knee and pulled out a small, black box. He opened it, and inside was a ring, with the band shaped like an arrow, and a diamond flanked by a deep purple amethyst on either side. She heard Clint say "yes" breathlessly, and the two kissed as Tony slipped the ring on his finger._

When the vision faded, she opened her eyes and lifted her head, only to find a tall man watching her curiously. He had light blonde, shaggy hair, a strong jawline, and a short blond beard. His eyes were too far away to be seen from where she was, but he continued to watch her for several moments before walking towards her. Natasha refused to take her eyes off him, watching him warily, and when he was standing on the stage and coming towards her he kept his hands up placatingly. He tentatively touched her side with one hand while keeping the other one in her line of sight, and his eyebrows furrowed.

"My name is Fandral," he said quietly, and she could tell he was trying not to scare her. His name triggered all kinds of alarms in her head though, and with a sinking feeling she realized he was one of Thor's friends. If Fandral knew who she was, he would tell Thor, and she would probably be killed and fail to keep her promise to Clint.

"I don't suppose you can speak," he told her more than asked her, and she shook her head slightly.

"Of course not. That's the same type of muzzle they used on Loki after he attacked Midgard. I'll admit, it's much nicer than his was, but you should be able to speak for yourself. I'll have to ask someone what your name is," he said, trailing off thoughtfully at the end, and she panicked. She felt her magic grow and on instinct pushed a small amount of it into his mind. The only image she could pull up in her panic was the ruby and emerald rose Loki had tucked into her red curls in her vision. It was just the ruby rose in her hair, but hopefully it could distract him. When she saw the green and gold light fade from his eyes and he was able to focus on her, he smiled softly.

"Is your name Rose?" Fandral asked, and she nodded, not being able to do anything else. As his smile widened, she calmed down and felt her magic become less noticeable until the collar and cuffs cooled. "A beautiful name. It suits you. And I see you have an element of the seidr in you. Is that why you're here?"

Natasha could only shrug. No, that really wasn't why she was there, but it was why she had to wear the cuffs that were currently chaining her to the roof. She closed her eyes at the wave of raw emotion that crashed over her, and Fandral cupped her cheek gently.

"I'm sorry, Rose, but I have to go. My friends are waiting for me," he apologized, then walked away, leaving the redhead alone and trying to regain control of herself.

She had flashbacks to her childhood, her closer calls with S.H.I.E.L.D. and Clint, and the first time she met Loki, when Bruce was still unstable and Hulking out unpredictably. She lost control completely when she remembered seeing Clint under Loki's command, and tears spilled down her cheeks before her magic freaked out. Bursts of energy flew from her hands and built up as a bubble around her, surrounding her in an aura of pure green and gold magic, stronger than anything she'd seen before. Her braids were ripped from their pins and whipped around her head at speed, several of them unraveling as the chains fell to the ground. A feeling of home washed over her before her bubble popped in a flash of blinding light, and her head spun and she lost connection with the world around her, but no vision came. When the energy died and she felt the immense, burning pain from her collar and cuffs, she saw a bright light and a flash of long, black hair before darkness claimed her.

* * *

When Natasha finally woke up, she had a massive headache and her skin was tingling. The collar and cuffs were still warm to the touch, but they weren't burning her anymore. She tried to open her eyes, but was assaulted with a blindingly bright light and shut them again, groaning quietly. A gentle hand brushed her hair off her forehead before resting on her brow line. She felt a slight tingling sensation and then her headache felt about ten times better, even though it still kind of hurt. The hand then moved down to cover her eyes loosely.

"Open your eyes slowly," Loki's voice instructed, and her lips curled into a soft smile as she did as she was told. After a few moments, he slowly took his hand off her eyes and helped her sit up against a mountain of pillows. Natasha looked down at herself and realized she was in the green gown Loki had made her, and her muzzle was gone.

One look around his cell told her something was very wrong. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, his black hair was wild and curly (much like hers was only shorter), and all of the furniture and possessions his mother had given him were strewn haphazardly on the floor. He looked worried and miserable, and the rest of the dungeon didn't look much better than his cell did. He handed her a glass of water, and she downed it before clearing her throat.

"Loki, what happened? How, how did I get here? Did I do all of this…?" Natasha asked quietly, and Loki wrapped his arms around her small frame.

"No, no you didn't do this. I truly don't know what happened to you. You were late, very late, and when I had given up on you being brought down and was about to try to sleep, the lights in my cell flickered. There was a blinding flash of green and gold light, and suddenly, there you were. You were lying on the floor unconscious, in the same spot where you passed out the first day, and your cuffs and collar were burning you badly. You had obviously used an incredible amount of magic to override both your binds and the walls of the cell to get in here, and it could have killed you. I was able to heal you, but I was worried I was too late when you didn't wake up. You've been unconscious for a few days," he told her quietly, and her heart dropped.

"He'll kill me," she murmured. "He'll kill me and I won't be able to keep my promise to Clint and I probably destroyed that room and people could've been hurt and-"

"Tasha, stop," Loki interrupted, titling her head up gently so she could look him in the eye. "He doesn't know you're here. I used a concealing spell as soon as I realized something was very wrong. You won't be found. We can get you out of here, you can go home."

"What? Loki, I can't go home. Do you know how many reasons there are why I can't go home? The cuffs, the collar, I'll have to explain to Clint what happened to me, Thor will see me and wonder why I'm wearing Asgardian magic-inhibitor binds that I can't get off, and even if I don't just go home, Odin will find me and bring me back here," she told him, feeling tears begin to form. She hated how weak she was, how hopeless her situation seemed, how if she was just a little stronger it would have an easy solution.

What she didn't know was that Loki's heart was breaking as he was watching her tears form, amazed at how strong she was that she had survived everything in the past year. He knew he would never have been able to withstand the torture she'd been through, and he knew pain. He had a rather high pain tolerance, as a matter of fact, and had survived being turned into the Hulk's personal rag doll. But she was different. She likely wouldn't have survived a beating from the Hulk like he had, but she could withstand everything that he would never even imagine being done. Once upon a time, he may have threatened to hurt someone the way she had been hurt, but he never would have done it. He certainly wouldn't have done it in all the ways she had experienced.

"Natasha, I promise you this: I will find a way to get you home, or I will die trying," he vowed, taking her hand and pressing his lips to her knuckles gently. What he didn't tell her was he would find a way for her to get home even though it meant he would lose her forever, and that would likely kill him. How had he fallen in love with her so quickly, that the sight of her in pain or the thought of losing her brought him physical pain and made him sick to his stomach?

The promise shocked Natasha. He owed her nothing, yet he was willing to risk his life to send her home. Part of her wanted to tell him that he was her home, that her magic brought her here when she had wanted to go home, but something stopped her, so instead she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his black curls that fell around his shoulders. His arms fell around her waist naturally, and he pulled her flush against him.

"Natasha, how did you come here? Do you remember anything?" Loki murmured near her ear, and she sighed.

"Odin was having a party to celebrate winning a battle on Vanaheim or something, and I was supposed to be entertainment. I had been chained up and muzzled on a stage in a smaller room with benches in front of me, and a couple of guys that I think were warriors but not guards came in and were entertaining themselves. When they left, Fandral came in, and I was so scared he would tell Thor where I was that I used my magic on him to make him think my name was Rose, and he bought it. He left almost immediately though, after asking if my magic was why I was there. I think he called it the seidr. I lost control after he left and my magic pretty much unleashed itself. The energy was building around me and a feeling of home went through me and I ended up here," she explained, quickly and quietly, with Loki listening intently.

"I'm sorry, Natasha," he whispered when she had finished. "I won't let anyone else hurt you."

"Loki, that may not be possible," she reminded him, ever the realist, but before he could retort she pulled away to look up at him. "Now, what happened while I was unconscious?"

"Asgard was attacked," he finally admitted. "Something happened to Jane Foster, I believe, and Thor brought her here. My mother died trying to protect her…"

"Oh, Loki," she murmured, cupping her hand around his jaw. She looked truly sad for him, and the sight of it made him cry. She shifted so she was kneeling and held him close, making sure he wouldn't be seen from the corridor, and he cried for what felt to him like forever. Eventually she started singing to him softly, a song about fire and war and being safe and sound in the morning, and he heard a guitar strumming in the background that she must have crafted using her magic.

_I remember tears streaming down your face_

_When I said, "I'll never let you go"_

_When all those shadows almost killed your light_

_I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"_

_But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight_

_Just close your eyes_

_The sun is going down_

_You'll be alright_

_No one can hurt you now_

_Come morning light_

_You and I'll be safe and sound_

_Don't you dare look out your window darling_

_Everything's on fire_

_The war outside our door keeps raging on_

_Hold onto this lullaby_

_Even when the music's gone_

_Gone_

_Just close your eyes_

_The sun is going down_

_You'll be alright_

_No one can hurt you now_

_Come morning light_

_You and I'll be safe and sound_

_Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh_

_La La (La La)_

_La La (La La)_

_Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh_

_La La (La La)_

_Just close your eyes_

_You'll be alright_

_Come morning light,_

_You and I'll be safe and sound..._

_Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh oh oh_

As she finished singing, Loki wiped his eyes and kissed her cheek, right at the corner of her mouth, and she smiled softly at him before pushing his wild curls away from his face.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, and he frowned at her.

"For what? That was beautiful," Loki replied, but she just shook her head.

"For your mom. And for you having to take care of me when it happened instead of having comfort," she said. He sighed and pulled her close, holding her near his heart.

"Tasha, I enjoy any time I get with you. You're real and you're strong and you give me something to focus on other than my anger towards my family. My mother would come speak to me, but never in person. I could never touch her or else she'd disappear. She's likely with my daughter now though, so she'll be fine. The only way she wouldn't be is if she ended up in Valhalla for dying in battle. My so-called father never came down to speak to me, and I almost never see Thor. But I learn from you every time I see you. You're more than just the beauty everyone sees," he told her, hoping she would see how much he cared for her.

"There are days when I almost forget who I was, who I am. Those are the days when I need my home the most. I'm too afraid to take out the bag of possessions I brought with me in case Arnljot goes against Odin's orders and takes them from me. Loki you, you still treat me like an agent, like I'm capable of more even when I feel like I'm about to break. That was what I needed the other day, when my magic brought me here. I don't know what triggered it, exactly, but I needed to be home," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She thought back to the vision of herself and Loki in the garden, and how she had felt at home. She looked up at the god holding her, and could practically see his mind fitting everything together.

He would figure it out sooner or later, she knew, but it turned out it didn't matter. Thor entered the dungeon and Loki threw up an illusion so he would still look strong and cold-hearted. Natasha shot him a look, and he eventually took down the illusion. Thor needed help, and it sounded like he needed help saving Jane. Loki started trying to be a little shit, but glanced over at Tasha and obviously decided it would be smarter not to be. She could tell by his eyes that he had a plan, and she remembered his promise with a chill. He would get her home even if it cost him his life, and that was what she was afraid of.

Thor managed to open the cell to let him out, and Natasha followed them close behind. The cloaking spell Loki had used obviously worked, since Thor didn't even know his friend was there, and she followed them through the twisting palace halls. Loki continued picking on his older brother, turning into a guard, then turning Thor into Sif, but Natasha laughed out loud when he turned into Steve. Obviously the concealing spell made it so she couldn't be heard either, but when Thor put Loki in handcuffs, she rested a hand on the younger brother's cheek to calm him down. The God of Thunder led them to where Sif was waiting with Jane. After the scientist had slapped Loki for attacking New York (which seemed like a lifetime ago to Natasha), Loki pulled her aside.

"You need to stay here with Sif," he told her, and she could have slapped him.

"I will not let you leave me behind!" Natasha shouted at him. Loki cupped her face in his hands.

"And I will not let these Dark Elves take away your chance to go home. You made a promise that you would see your home again. If you stay here, you still have that chance," he told her quietly, and she sighed.

"What of the guards? Arnljot will-"

"Arnljot is dead, Natasha. He died in the attack my mother was killed in. I promise you, Sif will keep you safe," Loki interrupted her. He kissed her forehead gently before continuing. "I've known her all my life, and she is friends with Thor, just as you are. She will help you."

"Promise me you'll come back," Natasha whispered, leaning her forehead against his, and she heard him chuckle.

"I promise. I will personally bring you home," he swore, and Thor and Jane ran off. Loki was about to follow when Sif put her sword at his neck and threatened to kill him. He smirked and spoke to her for a minute before she moved her sword and he waved his hand, apparently undoing the spell that had kept Natasha hidden.

Sif looked at her curiously for a moment before turning to the approaching guards, preparing herself to hold them off. Loki pressed a pair of daggers into her hand that she knew he wasn't holding a minute before, and instinct made her kiss his cheek quickly.

"I can't lose my home again," she murmured, and he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You won't have to," he promised, and then he was gone.

Natasha stood by Sif's side, quickly getting the feel of the daggers. She took a breath, and all of her anger from the past year of abuse bubbled to the surface. When the guards attacked them, she fought with everything she had, using her magic when the daggers weren't enough. She was careful not to kill them, knowing Asgard would need them again. When they had finally defeated the guards, Sif led her to a place that didn't seem like it was used very often and turned to face her.

"Who are you?" the brunette demanded, and Natasha blinked.

"I thought Loki told you. I'm a friend of Thor," the redhead said slowly.

"Loki told me, but he is known to lie. I may have trusted him once, but I do not now, and I may never trust him again," Sif told her. "What is your name?"

"Natasha Romanov. Thor brought me to Asgard from Midgard about fourteen months ago. It was September of last year when I left. I had fought in the battle against Loki for the Tesseract," the former spy explained, and Sif nodded once.

"Thor has mentioned you before. He spoke highly of your bravery and determination, and of your skills in battle. He told us he had brought you here, yet we never saw you in either the palace or the dungeon," the warrior stated.

"I was kept away from you and Thor and your friends. The only reason I came to Asgard was to speak with Loki," Nat said, not wanting to go into detail.

"Why would you want to speak with Loki? He does nothing but lie and manipulate others," Sif exclaimed. Natasha laughed bitterly.

"I suppose we have that in common. I worked as a spy on Midgard," Natasha said. "But despite what you may think of Loki, he has been nothing but kind to me in the time we have spent together."

"He asked me to protect you, yet I don't think you need protecting," Sif started, her unspoken question obvious.

"If the guards catch me, they're likely to kill me. I can't fight them off forever, and I made a promise that I would get home and see my friends and family again," Natasha answered with a sigh. Sif touched her shoulder, sympathy in her eyes, before nodding to the door.

"Come on. My friends will help you, too," she said, and Natasha followed her to a small room hidden deep in the palace. Two men were in the room, and the redhead felt her stomach flip when she recognized Fandral as one of them. He turned when he heard them come in, and looked at her in confusion.

"Rose?" the blonde man asked, taking a step forward.

"You can't tell Thor," Natasha answered immediately, and all three of the Warriors looked at her in confusion.

"What?" the second man asked, and Natasha wasn't sure if it was Volstagg or Hogun.

"My name is Natasha Romanov, I am a friend of Thor, and he brought me here just over a year ago. Fandral, please, you cannot tell Thor what you saw," she said quickly, looking at the blonde with widened eyes. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I don't understand," Sif said, looking between the former spy and the warrior with a frown.

Natasha sighed, and began to weave her magic into their minds to show them what she meant. She showed them as much of the past year as they needed to see, leaving out the worst things and almost all of the abuse she'd endured, and including the way Loki had trained her and healed her when she was hurt. The vision ended with her chained in the room where Fandral met her, and her making him think her name was Rose when she couldn't speak because of the muzzle. All three looked appalled that the guards they fought alongside had done that to her, and Sif looked like she regretted not killing the guards that attacked them.

"How did we not know?" the second man asked, and Sif hit him upside the head.

"Volstagg," the brunette hissed, and he just shrugged.

"I was kept away from you all," Natasha said simply. "If Thor had ever found out what was going on, I would have been killed. Which is why none of you can tell him."

"Then what should we tell him?" Fandral asked, and the redhead paused.

"Tell him I was in a cell in the dungeon, well away from anyone else. Or tell him I was sent away from the palace to be a servant at a nobleman's home. I don't know, but it can't be the full truth," Natasha told them, and the three looked at each other for a moment, apparently weighing their options.

"Very well," Sif eventually promised, and Natasha smiled.

"Thank you," she said, and all four of them fell into an almost comfortable silence.

"So," Fandral started after a while. "How do we think Loki will betray Thor?"

"He won't," Natasha answered immediately, before anyone else could speak. Volstagg looked at her skeptically.

"How can you be so sure?" the ax-wielding warrior asked her.

"Despite what he may lead you to believe, his time in the dungeon did change him. The Loki I met in New York would not have hesitated to hurt me in every possible way, and likely just for fun. When I met him in the dungeon, he tried to be the same Loki I had met before, but I collapsed. He could have done anything to me. I was unarmed and weaker than I'd like to admit, and I was locked in his cell with him. He could have hurt me, but he decided to help me instead. He has been training me to use my magic and healing me when the binds Odin made me wear try to stop me. He healed me when the guards almost killed me, and he took care of me when my magic brought me to him after I met Fandral and I was unconscious for days. He had every right and reason to hate me after I teamed up with Thor and four others to defeat him on Midgard, but he never acted on it. I know he won't betray Thor," Natasha answered, pausing to let that sink in before continuing. "Besides, he promised me he would come back and take me home. If he betrays Thor, you will kill him, and then he can't do that."

"You have faith in him," Fandral noted. "I hope it doesn't hurt you."

"I trust him," Natasha countered. "That's more than I can say for just about everyone I've ever met. And if he hurts me, I'll hurt him worse."

They nodded thoughtfully, and for a while no one said a word. Every so often one of the Warriors would go to the door and check to see if anyone was coming, but otherwise it was quiet. Natasha eventually started practicing her magic, creating small illusions that would play and fight each other, disappearing when one would be the winner. Her three companions watched curiously, and she smiled before creating small animals to run around them.

She was in the middle of trying to create a garnet-colored dragon to fly throughout the room when her head spun and her vision swam. Her hands froze in midair, and she lost all connection to the world around her.

_She was standing on a hill, looking out over a dark landscape. There was a battle raging on the plane below her, and Natasha could distinguish Thor's vibrant red cape, Jane's blue dress, and the dim lighting reflecting off of the gold in Loki's armor. Something happened, and in seconds Natasha was down there. Thor was fighting an actual monster, and as the creature towered over the blonde God, a blade was shoved through the monster's chest from behind. Loki appeared behind the beast, but before anyone could do anything, the beast grabbed the God of lies and shoved him onto the blade. Loki managed to activate a grenade type thing on the monster's back that destroyed it. The God collapsed, and his older brother ran to his side._

_"I will tell Father you died with honor," she heard Thor promise his brother. In that moment, she swore Loki looked right at her, and could see her watching._

_"I didn't do it for him," Loki said, and Natasha felt her blood run cold as the God's eyes closed and he stopped breathing..._

Natasha screamed when the vision finally faded, the image of Loki dead reappearing every time she closed her eyes. The sudden sound startled the warriors in the room, and Sif was by her side in a moment.

"What happened?" the brunette asked once Natasha was able to breathe again.

"I watched Loki die," the redhead said softly, looking at her hands. "He died saving Thor."

A somber silence settled over the room. No one questioned what she saw, knowing she wouldn't lie about Loki dying. Natasha felt dead inside. He had promised she wouldn't lose her home again, and yet she did. The shadows killed her light, and the darkness overwhelmed her.

* * *

**So? What did you think?**

**Since the next two chapters are finished, one "Yes" will earn you Chapter 10, and two will earn you Chapter 11. A third will earn you an idea for a side story I have in mind based on something in Chapter 11 that I totally shouldn't write since I have four stories in progress but really want to.**

**Snowflakes of love and fun to you all! ~Des**


	10. Chapter 10: Let Her Go

**Hey everyone! We got a yes on the last chapter, so that means it's time for CHAPTER 10!**

**Enjoy it!**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Let Her Go**

The convergence passed, and Thor had successfully defeated Malekith and contained the aether, so the Nine Realms were safe again. Natasha had spent her time locked in her room alone. The guards had finally found her and brought her to Odin for punishment, but since he was mourning the loss of his wife and Loki, and since Arnljot had been killed in the attack, he ordered her to be locked in her room until further notice. A guard was posted outside her door, making sure no one could go in or out. Misty brought her food, but Natasha couldn't bring herself to eat more than a few small bites before pushing the rest of it away. She stopped using her magic altogether and even suppressed her visions, and tried not to fall asleep. Eventually she would, for a few minutes at a time, but her dreams would consist of the visions she had of Loki dying, then the one of Loki taking Odin's place, and finally the one where they were married and had a daughter on the way. She didn't speak to anyone, and almost everyone avoided her. She couldn't bring herself to take off the dress Loki had made for her, and no one forced her to. She was numb, though it made nothing easier.

Some time after the convergence (it could have been days or it could have been weeks), Audun came into her room. He had survived the attacks, but Natasha wasn't sure how. He went over to where she was lying on the bed facing the wall and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"I have never once seen you turn your back to an exit," he said, and Natasha shrugged.

"It doesn't matter now. Things changed. Nobody comes in and I can't get out, and if someone was going to come kill me, it would either be by Odin's orders or they would be stopped," she said, her voice flat and emotionless. Audun sighed.

"Speaking of Odin, he wishes to see you. He sent me to come get you," he said, and Natasha sat up. Her usually bright green eyes had lost their sparkle, and she had three little red dots at the corner of her right eye that Audun hadn't seen before.

"Then let's go. We wouldn't want to keep the King waiting," she remarked with no emotion, and Audun waited until she had put on the green and gold slippers she had been wearing when they found her before leading her out of the room. He didn't chain her or restrict her in any way, but kept his hand on her back for support and to guide her. It was obvious she was hurting. After more than a year of seeing her try to be strong and not show her pain, now she seemed to have given up and it shocked him. She had wanted to go home so badly, and now she didn't seem to care.

They walked through the halls silently, occasionally drawing confused looks from the people they passed. Sif, Fandral, and Volstagg were standing in the throne room when the pair arrived, out of the way but still watching. Sif offered Natasha a sad smile when their eyes met, but the redhead couldn't bring herself to return it. Natasha turned to face Odin, and instantly sensed something was off, but couldn't pin down what it was. She had only met the King on her first day in Asgard, when Thor had been standing by her side, but she thought the King had looked more menacing then. His posture seemed more relaxed and casual, though that may simply have been a result of his grief. Natasha tried to appear as strong as she had been before the convergence, before she was given to Arnljot, but she could tell it wasn't the same. Odin assessed her for a moment, and Natasha resisted the urge to fidget.

"Natasha," Odin began, but the redhead wasn't really interested in listening to a long lecture.

"If you're going to kill me, then just do it. I hid from the guards, fought against them, and then hid from them again. I have no home anymore, nowhere to go," Natasha interrupted him, and she saw something flash in his eyes for a moment, something almost like recognition, but just as quickly it was gone.

"You are very like Loki, aren't you? He expected to be executed too, when I last saw him," Odin said slowly, watching for her reaction, and Natasha struggled to keep her mask in place. Yes, she was like Loki, but hearing Odin say it after the raven-haired God had died hurt like hell. She leveled the king with a steely glare and waited for him to continue.

"Did the guards treat you well?" he asked when she said nothing, and she shrugged.

"They treated me as well as they were able, I suppose," she said with no emotion to show what she really felt. Odin watched her thoughtfully.

"You will not be executed," the Allfather said eventually, standing up. "You took your punishment honorably, and I have decided that you and your family are to be pardoned. You are no longer a prisoner of Asgard, and you may come and go as you wish. You are a friend of Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three, and are the granddaughter of Asgard's gatekeeper, so you are a welcome friend of Asgard."

Natasha blinked several times, unable to believe what she had heard. After being punished for a year for something her grandfather had done long before Natasha was even a possibility, he was just going to let her go? As Odin walked down the steps of the throne to where she stood and Thor's friends came forward, Audun stepped away to the side of the room. Fandral and Volstagg stood on either side of her, and Sif stopped just next to Odin, taking his spear from him. The men took the cuffs off of her wrists and Odin took off her collar, and suddenly Natasha felt all of her magic surge throughout her frame. She took a breath and calmed herself to keep her magic contained, and finally looked up at the King.

"Thank you. I believe I will go home tonight," she said, remembering the vision she'd had of Tony's proposal. She knew that it would happen soon, and she wanted to be there for Clint when it did. Something flickered in Odin's eyes but was gone as soon as it appeared, and he smiled down at her.

"Of course. I hope you will come back soon, though. You say you have no home, if that turns out to be true, you can always make a new home on Asgard," Odin said, and Sif grinned at her.

"You could fight alongside us! It would be nice to have another woman to train with," the brunette encouraged, causing Fandral and Volstagg to laugh.

"Thank you for your offer. I promise to consider it," Natasha said, and Odin nodded.

"Very well," he said, and took his staff from Sif before going back to sit on his throne. He watched as Thor's three childhood friends led the redhead out of the throne room, and once he was alone, he dropped the illusion. Loki sat on the throne where Odin had once been, and his eyes filled with sadness at how dead Natasha had seemed inside.

* * *

Natasha grabbed the bag with all of her belongings that she had never unpacked, and was going to just leave right then but Sif convinced her to stay. The warrior loaned Natasha some training clothes, and the two went to the training area to spar. There were several other guards and warriors training, including Fandral and Volstagg. As the two women began to spar, not holding back but agreeing to stop at first blood, the other trainees stopped what they were doing and began to watch. Even Odin came out to watch the two from the balcony. The men gave them a wide berth, and weren't surprised when neither woman were willing to be the first to bleed. Sif fought in a more traditional warrior style, direct and with purposeful movements, but Natasha was different. When she fought, it was more like she was dancing. She faked movements and wasn't afraid to get in Sif's personal space if it meant she would win. She tended to use her strong legs and agility as opposed to Sif's use of her arms, and the men began to place bets on who would win. Many of the guards put their bets on Sif, remembering how they had often hurt Natasha easily, but a good number of the warriors bet on the redhead. It ended up being evenly split, with Fandral betting on Natasha and Volstagg on Sif, agreeing that the loser fought the winner, and their cheers only encouraged the women more. The round only got more exciting as time passed and neither had been cut, and no one realized that Odin had secretly been rooting for Natasha.

Eventually it was the redhead who won, and only because she had ducked under Sif's arm and swung out her leg, knocking the brunette off balance and cutting her in the process. There was only a drop of blood since the cut hadn't been deep, but Odin had called it as soon as he saw the red line on Sif's arm. Both women had huge grins on their faces, and Natasha helped Sif up from where she had fallen. The two hugged briefly as the men who won their bets cheered and the ones who lost groaned and walked away. Odin walked down to where the girls had met up with Fandral and Volstagg and were talking animatedly about the fight they had just seen.

"That was very impressive," Odin praised the two women, who still hadn't stopped smiling. Seeing Natasha smile like this was a huge contrast to how she had been every time he had seen her, and it was nice to see. "It looks like a lot of people underestimated you, Natasha, myself included."

"I use that to my advantage," Natasha answered easily, exhilarated from the fight and having forgotten her troubles for a moment.

"And it serves you well," the king said with a nod, and Natasha smiled. "I would like to speak with you alone before you leave tonight."

"Okay," the redhead said, slightly confused. "I'll just go change."

Sif walked with Natasha as she went to her room to clean up and change. Fandral and Volstagg looked at Odin knowingly before leaving, Fandral teasing his friend about how Natasha would win in a fight against the ax-wielding warrior. Odin left for his room, knowing Sif would bring Natasha there when she was ready, and decided to read while he waited.

* * *

When Natasha and Sif finally arrived in the King's hall and knocked on Odin's bedroom door, the sun was going down. Sif left to go to the dining hall as Odin called for the redhead to enter, wishing her friend luck. Taking a breath, Natasha opened the door and stepped into the room. It was richly furnished, with a large bed on one side and a sitting area on the other. A fire was roaring in the fireplace at the sitting area side, and Odin was sitting next to it. Natasha walked over slowly, and the King stood to meet her.

"I must apologize, Natasha, for everything you've gone through while you've been here," he started, and she was about to wave him off and say it wasn't his fault when he put up a hand to stop her. "Please don't interrupt me. What happened to you was because of my orders, so it was my fault. I know you won't accept my apology for everything, but there is one thing in particular that I have to apologize for: I made you a promise, and you're not the same since I broke it."

"What?" she asked, shocked. Odin had never made her a promise. The feeling of something being wrong came back tenfold, and Natasha took a step away from the king.

"I am truly sorry, Tasha," he said, and before she could say anything, a green light covered the Allfather and suddenly Loki was standing in his place, alive and well. In her surprise, she slapped him hard, and his jaw opened in shock before he rubbed at the red mark appearing on his cheek.

"I deserved that," Loki said, nodding his head. Natasha slapped his other cheek just as hard, and he chuckled quietly through the stinging pain in his face. "I deserved that too."

"What the actual fuck, Loki?!" Natasha screamed at him, feeling all her pain rise to the surface. "I saw you die!"

"Tasha, do you remember me mentioning I had a daughter that my mother was probably with?" he asked, catching her hands before she could slap him again, or worse.

"Um, sort of?" she replied, only vaguely remembering what he had said, and he smiled softly at her.

"My daughter is Hela, the Queen of the Dead. She decided it wasn't my time to die, since I had made you a promise, and sent me back, taking the life of the guard Odin had sent after Thor and I instead. I wasn't going to turn into Odin, I was going to be a guard and convince him to free you, but his broken heart and old age killed him and he asked me to take his place until Thor decided to take the throne after stopping Malekith. If you don't believe me, ask Sif or Fandral or Volstagg. They were all there, and the only reason none of them killed me was because you trusted me," he told her, and she took a few deep breaths to calm herself.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" she asked, clearing her head.

"I had to wait for Thor to leave. Had he taken the throne, I would've had to figure out a different plan to get you home, or else he would have found out. I knew you didn't want that, and when Odin locked you in your room, it was actually him. He died not long after, but didn't want anyone to know. No one could get into your room at his orders, so I had to wait. It was only a couple days," he told her, and she sighed.

"It felt like longer. I wasn't sleeping," she said, and he sighed.

"I'm so sorry," he said quietly, and suddenly she was pressed against him, her arms wrapped tightly around his middle. He smiled and hugged her back, kissing the top of her head.

"I trust you, Loki," she murmured, and it wasn't until she kissed the corner of his mouth that he realized what she meant.

"You trust me that much?" he asked, surprised, and she smiled up at him.

"Yes, I do. You've become my home," she said softly, and she almost laughed when she saw all the pieces finally click together for him.

"I'm an idiot," he said under his breath, and this time Natasha did laugh quietly.

"Yeah, you are. But that doesn't change anything," she said, and laughed again when he kissed her lips fiercely, twining his fingers through her curls. Her hands found their way to cup his cheeks as she kissed him back. He picked her up with one arm, keeping his other hand in her hair and not breaking the kiss and carried her over to the bed. He laid her down, still without breaking the kiss, and with a wave of his hand the door locked and they were both naked. She shivered at the sudden cold, and he laughed quietly against her lips.

That night, Loki was nothing but gentle with her. He focused entirely on her pleasure, and found out things about her that he was sure no one in the universe knew. The way she would bite her lip when she came (or his if they were kissing when he brought her over the edge), or how she wasn't afraid to let him try things he thought she would like, and would tell him off if he did something she didn't like. She would murmur things in Russian, too softly for him to catch, but he still smiled down at her each time. When they were both finally worn out and happy, Natasha curled up with her head on his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her. She started humming as he played with her hair, and he pulled her up to kiss her lips fiercely, smiling when she kissed back just as passionately.

"I love you," he whispered when they finally broke for air, and her smile melted his heart.

"I love you too," she murmured, and he kissed her until they fell asleep, curled in each other's arms.

* * *

"Loki?" Natasha said the next morning as they laid in bed, neither wanting to move as the sun streamed in through the windows, and he started rubbing her back soothingly.

"Yeah?" he answered, instinctively pulling her closer. She smiled.

"I need to get some gifts for my family, since I missed Family Day this year. I was thinking maybe some Asgardian weapons would be nice, like some special arrows for Clint or a dagger for Maria or a sword for Fury or a shield for Coulson. Would you help me?" she asked him, and he kissed her forehead.

"Of course. I know just the person. I'll take you there once we're dressed," he said, sitting up and pulling her into his lap. She held the sheet around her chest and smiled as he began to kiss her lazily.

"I take it you have no interest in doing that yet?" she asked, already knowing the answer, and he smirked at her.

"Of course not," he said, and she rolled her eyes before giving in to his lazy kisses and gentle touches. Neither of them were in any kind of hurry to do anything other than enjoy their morning together, and they did just that, pleasuring each other lazily as the sun climbed higher in the sky.

* * *

When they finally got dressed and left the palace, it was almost noon. Loki had made Natasha a new dress so she wasn't in the same one all the time, and it looked beautiful on her. It was a green, hooded dress that was short in the front and long in the back. There was a gold sash that tied in a bow in the back, the inside of the hood was gold, and at the edge of each short sleeve was a gold band before sheer green fabric created a full, flowing sleeve. The dress had a v-shaped neckline with gold ribbons tied to each side, and there were small gold stars and runes embroidered all over the dress. She wore her green and gold heeled slippers with it, and wove her hair into an elegant crown braid while leaving most of her long, red curls down. Loki had used his magic to teleport her to a different room, promising to meet her in the throne room a few minutes later. He disguised himself as Odin and left his room, arriving at the throne room the same time Natasha did, with Sif at her side. The brunette had smirked at him, and said something to Natasha before leaving them alone. He led the redhead out of the palace and into the city until they arrived at a smith shop, who Loki said had made many of his and his mother's enchanted weapons, once upon a time.

Loki had done most of the talking, agreeing that the palace would pay for whatever Natasha wanted, and the man was more than willing to help her. She told him what she had been thinking of getting, and he agreed to make all of them to her exact specifications. She helped him draw out the design for Coulson's shield, and told him exactly what she wanted for the other weapons she would be giving as gifts. The smith also offered to make her a pair of daggers, a set of throwing knives, and some enchanted armor that would be worn either over clothing in the Asgardian style or under clothing if she preferred. She glanced at Loki to make sure he had meant it when he said she could get anything, and when he nodded, she accepted the man's offer. He promised to have it ready as soon as he could.

The two left and made their way back to the palace. Loki showed her parts of the garden that she had never seen before, and when he saw her awe-struck expression, he stopped walking.

"Natasha, have you ever seen the gardens?" he asked, and she kind of shrugged.

"I saw parts of them, once. Arnljot brought me out here my first day and raped me by one of the ponds. I wasn't brought out here again after, and I wasn't allowed to walk around the palace on my own," she said quietly, stopping to look at a rose, and he sighed sadly.

"I am truly sorry," he said, and she shook her head.

"You couldn't stop it. You didn't even know I was on Asgard," she said, and he frowned.

"Still. Come with me. I want to show you something," he said, motioning for her to follow him. They wandered through the gardens to a secluded part that looked like people never went into, and Natasha gasped when she recognized the tree from her vision of being married to Loki. The section of the garden was huge and private, and she smiled as she looked around.

"It's beautiful," she said in awe, and he dropped the illusion of being Odin. Once he looked like Loki again, he kissed her temple gently and took her hand.

"It's yours, if you want it. No one comes in here, so you'd have total privacy," he said, and she smiled brilliantly up at him before kissing him deeply.

"I love it. Thank you," she said, feeling a strange sense of rightness come over her. Her vision was slowly starting to come together, without either of them doing anything to make it come true intentionally, and the thought made her smile. She sat down under the tree and pulled him down with her, and he pulled her onto his lap.

"So, what were you and Sif talking about earlier?" Loki asked, and Natasha smirked at him.

"Just about how if we actually want to be together, you have to either give the throne to someone else or tell the kingdom who's really ruling them," she told him.

"They won't believe me if I tell them, and Thor doesn't want the throne," he said, resting his forehead against hers with a sigh.

"Loki, Sif and Fandral and Volstagg know, and Heimdall sees everything so he probably knows. The people trust them, and if they trust you, I think others will too," she said, part of her knowing it'll be harder than that, and he kissed her gently.

"They only trust me because you do," he murmured against her lips, and she sighed.

"I know. But people are going to notice something is up if they see us together, and a lot of people know how I spent the last year. I can't," she trailed off, hiding her face against his shoulder, and he rubbed her back soothingly. He knew what she couldn't bring herself to say, and the idea of it made his stomach turn as well. If they spent too much time together with Loki disguised as Odin, people would talk, and at least some of them would say the King was using her the same way the guards had. It was a horrible thing to say about Odin, but an even worse thing to say about her, and he couldn't make her go through that.

"I'll find a way. I promise," he whispered into her hair, and she nodded. "When are you planning on going back to Midgard?"

"As soon as the gifts are ready. I want to be there for Christmas. I don't have anything for the others, but I want to be there," she said, looking up at him.

"Well, if you wanted, Stark would probably enjoy the mead made for the palace. I don't know about the others though," Loki suggested.

"That'd be nice," she agreed, and then frowned a little. "If the gifts are ready in time, I'll try to get home early and go shopping, but surprising them if I go early won't be easy…"

"I can help. I could send you to Midgard before the gifts are ready, you can do some shopping, and then come back to get the ones being made," he suggested, and Natasha kissed him gratefully.

"That would be perfect. Thank you," she told him, her green eyes shining. "Could you send me in the morning? And how would I let you know when I'm ready to come back?"

"I'll have Heimdall keep an eye on you. When you're ready, tell him and I'll have him tell me," he promised, and she smiled.

"Thank you," she said softly, and he held her close.

"Anything."

* * *

A few days later, Natasha was on Midgard shopping with Sif, and Loki was struggling to figure out how to tell Asgard the truth. Hoping to escape his frustration, he walked down to the Observatory where Heimdall was watching over everyone in all of the Nine Realms. The guardian did not turn around when the disguised King entered.

"You may not like it, but you are Thor's brother. He always came down to ask about his love too," Heimdall noted, and Loki had to stop himself from bristling as he discarded the illusion.

"How is she?" Loki asked, walking closer to the guardian, who smiled at him.

"Happy to be back, even if she's not with her teammates yet. She's showing Sif all kinds of Midgardian wares and explaining how they work," Heimdall said. "She is not the same, though. Not like how she was before she met Odin, and not like how she's been the past couple of days."

"She is recovering. It'll take time for her to be herself again. Hopefully being back around her family will help," Loki said, staring out at the stars. Heimdall turned and watched him, his golden eyes flashing with understanding.

"You don't want her to come back," he noted, and Loki shrugged.

"I want her to be happy. That may mean I have to let her go," the raven-haired God said.

"She won't be happy if you don't give her a choice," Heimdall said knowingly. Loki sighed.

"I know," he said. "May I ask you something?"

"Of course, my King. What is it?" Heimdall asked, turning his all-seeing eyes on the raven-haired ruler.

"How did you deal with it? Knowing what was happening to her?" Loki asked him. "I wanted to kill Odin when I found out, and every guard who had ever laid a hand on her. You knew for more than a year."

"What happened to Natasha was always meant to be my punishment. I hated that she had to go through that because of me, and I was always angry with Odin and Thor for allowing this, but I knew that my interference would only make things worse. So I waited until an opportunity presented itself," Heimdall said, the ghost of a grimly satisfied smile playing on his lips. "When the Dark Elves attacked Asgard, I seized the opportunity and killed Arnljot myself. Then, when I saw you dying, I manipulated Natasha's magic and mine so you would see her. I knew your daughter would not let you stay dead for long, and I needed to make sure you would come back to my granddaughter."

"You killed him?" Loki asked, surprised.

"Of course. Loki, I may not have known she was my granddaughter until a little more than a year ago, but that doesn't mean I never saw her. She's been through this before, only ten times worse. They used to pump drugs into her system to make her stronger and then other drugs to make her compliant, and they would alter her memories, and anytime she got close to someone, she would watch them die. If she resisted, someone she cared about would be hurt or even killed. I'm furious that it's happened to her again," Heimdall told him, his anger setting his golden eyes aflame. Loki took a minute to process what he has just learned, and suddenly everything clicked into place. That was why she was so hurt by seeing him die. He had known about the memory alteration from Clint, but apparently Clint had either resisted him and not told him everything, or Natasha hadn't told Clint everything. He highly suspected it was the former of the two.

"Loki, whatever you do, don't push her away," the guardian continued, resting his hand on Loki's shoulder. "She truly does love you. When you decide to tell the people the truth, I shall support you. The Allfather's dying wish was for you to rule until Thor decided to claim the throne, but Thor doesn't want it."

"You think the people will trust me after everything?" Loki asked. Heimdall just smiled at him.

"It is as Natasha said. Had you stayed on Asgard that day, instead of falling into the void, you would have been pardoned. We just need the people to see that, and with Sif and the Warriors Three supporting you along with myself, and your brother if you'd allow it, they will. I promise," Heimdall said.

"Thank you," Loki replied. "I really mean it."

"She's changed you," Heimdall commented, smiling softly. "The Loki I remember would never have even considered asking for Thor's help."

"I want her to be happy," Loki said with a sigh. "I would give up the kingdom if she asked, and if she allowed me to, I would spoil her for all eternity to make her forget the horrors she's gone through. She deserves that much."

"Take care of her, and I promise you will be the king Asgard deserves. The husband she deserves, however, may be a different story," the guardian said, teasing the king. He rolled his eyes.

"I know I'm not worthy enough to be her husband. I want to be, however, and hopefully I will be good enough for her one day," Loki said, staring out into the stars, trying to find his redheaded goddess among them.

"Loki, you're her home. She wants to go to Midgard to be with her family again and keep a promise, but you're her home. I think she'd be safe and happy no matter where she was, as long as you were by her side," Heimdall said honestly, resting his large hand on the king's shoulder. Loki looked up and saw his eyes filled with care and wisdom, and he smiled.

"In that case, I think I'll tell the kingdom before she returns. If you and the Warriors Three can back me well enough to make the kingdom acknowledge my rule, Natasha can come back. If you can't, I'll go to her and we won't come back here. Okay?" Loki asked. He wanted Natasha to rule as his queen, and for her grandfather to accept him as family, and to live the way people in Midgardian fairy tales do with something called a "happily ever after." He didn't know what it was but it sounded nice.

"Okay," Heimdall agreed, smiling at the king. Together they went to find the Warriors Three, and gathered the kingdom together so he could make his announcement.

* * *

**So, what did you think? Do you think I properly captured Heimdall's views of his granddaughter being raped? Let me know, because I'm thinking of adding more, maybe a private moment between Heimdall and Natasha at some point where they can talk about it...**

**Since I already have the next chapter ready, I'll update again if we get another review!**

**Snowflakes of fun and love to you all! ~Des**


	11. Chapter 11: You Have Nothing to Fear

**Hey everyone! New chapter!**

**I hope you all enjoy it! I'll tell you guys about my story idea at the end of the chapter, because spoilers. ;-)**

* * *

**Chapter 11: You Have Nothing to Fear**

Natasha and Sif spent the entire day shopping in Chicago, Illinois. Natasha had a safe house not too far outside the city, which was where she asked Loki to drop her off, and the two changed out of their Asgardian clothes. Natasha wore a pair of well worn, dark washed skinny jeans, a green, long sleeved blouse, black knee high boots, and a black coat. Sif found a pair of black flared jeans, a red sweater, black ankle boots, and a white scarf. Sif was fascinated by everything she saw in the stores, and Natasha showed her how to try some of the things on and showed her what others did. Halfway through the day, Natasha took Sif to one of her favorite restaurants in the city, and by the time the sun set, they had found what they needed.

For Bruce, Natasha found an antique tea set, complete with a medley of Asian and European teas and some candles he can use while meditating. For Steve, Natasha got a boxed set of the Star Wars movies and tickets for two to the newest movie in the series. She figured that maybe he would bring a date with him. Sif helped her pick out Thor's present. They found a man who sells custom leather bags and had a briefcase that was just the right size for Mjolnir, and asked him to detail it with some Norse runes. That process took most of the afternoon, but the case ended up looking really cool. She got Jane a pair of stylish boots, and Darcy got a nice new Taser. Melinda got a new dress that Natasha thought would suit her, Skye got a locket with daisies etched into the front, Fitz and Jemma got matching fancy new calculators that were really more like scientific computers, and Ward got a new scope for his rifle. She even got something for Loki while Sif was exploring the stores.

When they were done, they went back to Natasha's safe house to change back into their Asgardian clothes. Sif kept the outfit she wore shopping at Natasha's encouragement, just in case she ever wanted to go back to Midgard and blend in, and they called for Heimdall to tell Loki to bring them back. When nothing happened, Natasha began to worry.

"Something's wrong," Nat said, biting her lower lip anxiously.

"Natasha, I'm sure everything is fine. Loki wouldn't abandon you. He's probably just away from Heimdall and the Observatory," Sif said, trying to calm the redhead.

"Sif, something is happening. I'm going to try and see it," Natasha said, focusing on Loki. Sif put her hands on her shoulders.

"Natasha, calm down. They're fine. Loki can take care of himself, and if anything happens, he has Heimdall and the Warriors Three to help him. He'll bring us back as soon as he's able," Sif said soothingly. Natasha sighed.

"Last time we were on different planets, he died. This time, he's ruling a kingdom that doesn't know it's him, and I'm worried that they're going to find out and it won't end well," the redhead said, walking into the kitchen of the safe house. She pulled out her kettle and filled it with water, turning it on to boil, and grabbed herself a mug. "Do you want tea?"

"Sure," Sif said, and Nat pulled out a second mug for her. "Natasha, it'll be okay. You have to trust him."

"I do trust him. I really do. I just," Natasha trailed off, staring at the kettle. She was tense, with her arms folded over her chest, and though she leaned against the edge of the counter to seem relaxed, she looked like she was a stranger here. Actually, if Sif thought back on their day, Natasha seemed to feel like more of a stranger on Midgard than Sif was.

"Do you not like it here?" Sif asked, startling the redhead. "On Midgard, I mean. You seem like you don't think you belong. You don't act like you're home."

"I don't feel like I'm home. My heart's just not in it," Natasha said quietly, putting a bag of black tea in each cup. When the button on the kettle popped she poured the water in, then put some milk and sugar in her own cup. Sif watched her curiously before following suit. The two of them walked back to the living room, where Natasha moved to sit on a window seat and Sif sat on a cushioned chair next to her.

"Loki is your home," Sif said after several minutes of silence. "Your heart is with him. You still care for your friends on Midgard, but the look you have now is like the one I've seen on Thor since he met Jane Foster. Distracted, tense, sad; it's hard to see my friends that way. But I will tell you this: before you left your room, Loki had the same look. Even as Odin, he was obviously distracted. If you were to stay here, he would give up his throne and come here with you. He'll bring you back to him when he gets to the Observatory."

"Thank you," Natasha said, smiling slightly. Sif smiled back, and the two of them sat in comfortable silence while they drank their tea. When they finished, Natasha washed out the mugs by hand and put them away. Sif asked Heimdall one more time to bring them back to Asgard, and Natasha grabbed the presents so she would have them if it worked. Minutes later, a portal opened up near them, and Heimdall and Loki were waiting on the other side. Sif stepped through first, since she was closer, and Natasha followed right behind her. The portal closed up again once the redhead was through, and Loki took some of the bags from her.

"I take it your trip was successful?" he asked her with a smirk, and Natasha smiled.

"Very," she replied simply, nodding to Sif as the warrior left the Observatory to find her friends. Natasha walked towards the exit and waited patiently for Loki to cast his illusion and become Odin again, but when he didn't and walked out past her, she frowned.

"Loki, aren't you forgetting something?" she asked, and Heimdall came up next to her.

"You forgot to tell her," the guardian said, and Loki turned to smile at Natasha.

"The people know. They weren't happy, and at first they wanted me thrown back into my cell, but Heimdall and the Warriors Three finally convinced them to give me a chance to rule. If I fail, I go back to the dungeon forever. But if I can prove I'm a good king, I can keep the throne," the King said, brushing a curl behind Natasha's ear and smiling calmly at her shocked expression. "I will not fail."

"I know," Natasha said after several moments, smiling up at him warmly. "I just can't believe you did it while I wasn't here."

"I wanted to surprise you," Loki said with a shrug. "Now, let's go back to the palace."

"Lead the way," Nat said, kissing his cheek before taking his free hand in hers. The two of them walked hand-in-hand back to the palace, and Natasha was amazed at how the people bowed as they walked past. Soon, they were inside and two servants came and took the bags of gifts from them, saying they'll bring them to the King's hall immediately. Loki wound his arm around her waist, and for a second she thought he would drag her into the nearest empty room, but instead he just started walking faster. She matched his pace, and in a matter of minutes they were standing in the antechamber to Odin's old bedroom.

"Are you okay with being blindfolded for a minute? I have one more surprise for you," Loki asked, holding out a piece of green silk. Natasha raised an eyebrow quizzically but nodded anyway, and he moved behind her and tied the blindfold, adjusting it until he was sure she couldn't see. He gave her ass a playful squeeze before stepping away from her.

"Just don't let me crash into anything," Natasha warned, reaching her hands out in an attempt to find him. She heard his footsteps and then a door opened, and then he was walking back towards her and taking her hands. He carefully guided her into the room and closed the door behind them, and removed the blindfold.

When Natasha opened her eyes, she gasped. The room was completely different. The open archways in the walls had green silk curtains, held open by gold ties. The sitting area around the fireplace was filled with greens and golds and whites, with plush sofas, a lounge chair under one archway large enough for two people to curl up together, a plush rug in front of the fireplace, and a huge bookshelf half filled with what looked like Loki's books and scrolls from his cell, but Natasha didn't recognize all of them. On the other side of the room was a huge gold canopy bed with semi-sheer green curtains, a gold and green silk duvet and white silk sheets. A candle was lit on the nightstands on either side of the bed, and a bouquet of roses was on one of the nightstands. The room was completely redecorated for her and Loki, and when she moved closer to the bookshelf, she distinctly recognized two of the books. One was the one from her vision under the tree as Loki's wife, and the other was the photo album she brought to Asgard with her. Her hand flew to her mouth when she saw it, and she slowly reached out and pulled the album from the shelf. She felt Loki's hand at her waist, but all she could see was the album in her hands.

"You found it," Natasha said quietly. "Did you look through it? Is the rest of the stuff I brought here?"

"No, I didn't look through it yet, and yes, I found the rest of your stuff. Come here," Loki said, taking it from her gently to set back on the shelf before guiding her towards another room.

It turned out to be a massive closet, filled with Loki's robes and several gowns for Natasha, and with a huge cabinet on the other side with glass in the cabinet doors in the middle. In the side closest to Loki's robes stood an elaborate gold scepter with a green stone that looked just like the one he used when he attacked Earth, only more regal and less militant. The other side, presumably for Natasha, was empty, but looked like it was meant to hold armor, some daggers, a set of knives, and maybe something else, likely intended to hone her magic. Loki brought her closer to the cabinet and opened a drawer to reveal Natasha's arrow necklace displayed in a beautiful mahogany, gold, green velvet, and glass case, surrounded by matching cases of varying sizes. One held her little glove from Coulson, one held her jewelry set from her 16th birthday, one held her necklace with her mom's wedding ring, and the others were empty but ready to hold a variety of jewels. The whole setup was simply stunning.

"Oh wow," Natasha said breathlessly, feeling tears sting her eyes. She hadn't actually pulled out any of her jewelry in more than a year, and seeing all of what she brought with her displayed in beautiful cases that she wanted but could never get, combined with going shopping for Christmas presents to bring back to her family in New York was overwhelming. Loki noticed and pulled her to him, and she hid her face in his shoulder. He rubbed her back soothingly as she cried, her shoulders shaking due to her sobs. He kissed the top of her head and just held her.

"Are you okay?" Loki asked her when she had calmed down, and she nodded quietly, not moving from his arms.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I just didn't realize how much I really missed my family until I saw the jewelry and the photo album displayed proudly and beautifully…" she murmured, and Loki tightened his arms around her.

"Hey, you'll see them soon. It's almost Christmas," Loki reminded her, and she nodded her head quietly. He pulled back enough to tilt her head back and kiss her gently, then smiled at her gently and pressed his forehead against hers. "Come on. Let's get into bed."

Natasha nodded and followed his lead, stripping down in the closet and allowing him to guide her back to the bedroom. As they climbed into the bed, he reached around her and grabbed a rose from her nightstand, tucking it into her hair and kissing her gently. She kissed back, somewhat distracted, and he smiled at her understandingly before lying down next to her. It was an unspoken invitation to do whatever she wanted, including get out of bed, which was what she did after a minute. She didn't stay out of bed for long, however.

She padded over to where they left her photo album and picked it up before walking back to the bed. She curled into Loki's side, smiling softly when he rested his hand on her hip, and opened the album. She showed him the story behind each photo, focusing on the memory and pushing it into his mind's eye with her magic. Most were happy memories, some were sad or difficult, but each one told her family's story and allowed her to have a catharsis and clear out her emotions. After they had gone through every photo, she set the book back down on the nightstand and curled back into Loki's side. They were quiet for a while, with her hand trailing lightly on his hip and his carding through her curls, until Loki finally spoke up.

"Natasha?" he murmured, to which she hummed in response. "If I asked you to show me your life, from as far back as you can remember to right now, would you?"

Natasha was sitting upright and out of his arms-but not out of his reach-before he could blink. Her eyes were unreadable and her posture was guarded, and he almost regretted asking her based on her reaction. She looked immensely uncomfortable, and reminded him of a skittish cat ready to run. He decided he was better off not moving, in case he scared her even more, and waited for her to say something.

"Why do you want to see it?" she eventually asked slowly, and Loki took that as his cue to sit up carefully.

"I want to help you. You're stronger and more resilient than I ever could be, than anyone else I ever encountered could be, and while I will admit, part of me is curious as to just how strong you are, I want to know how strong you think you always have to be so I can help you relax and let your guard down. You don't always have to be strong and levelheaded and in control, and I want to know how the best way to help you do that," Loki said softly, slowly reaching out and taking her hand. She didn't fight him or flinch away, which he took as a good sign, but he didn't dare do anything more than that, at least not yet. "It doesn't have to be tonight. It doesn't have to be before Christmas, and it doesn't even have to be in the next couple of years. But when you're ready to show me, or you think I'm ready to see it, or when you're comfortable enough to let me know everything that you've gone through, I'll be right by your side to see it."

"Maybe I'll show you, but not tonight. I'm exhausted emotionally and I can't go through reliving every moment right now," Natasha said softly, and Loki nodded, squeezing her hand reassuringly.

"Of course. I'll be here whenever you're ready," he promised. He held her hand until she moved back to him on her own, and when she did he kissed her temple gently.

"Thank you," she murmured as her eyes slid shut. Within minutes, she was fast asleep, and Loki watched her small frame rise and fall in the moonlight. Her rib cage and hipbones still stuck out under her skin, and he could feel every one when he hugged her, but her face was filling in more. Her cheeks didn't look as gaunt anymore and her eyes weren't as haunted or dead as they were when she thought he died, but he knew that when Clint saw her, he would freak out, and may not even let her return to Asgard. If he had raised her and she returned from somewhere in this shape, Loki would never let her go back, no matter who was waiting for her.

He sighed and kissed the top of her head gently. He couldn't lose her now, but perhaps it would be better if she didn't return. If he did anything wrong, he wouldn't be able to protect her, and she may not be put in the dungeon with him. He was terrified that if he was locked away, she would be a slave again and it would be all his fault. He would never see her again, and she could never go home. He held her closer to him as he fell asleep, and his dreams were filled with images of faceless people doing unspeakable things to her all because he messed up.

* * *

Natasha was still asleep when he woke up, so he eased her out of his arms and got dressed for the day. He left a note on his pillow saying he had to attend to some things and that she shouldn't worry, but to get dressed at her leisure and meet him in her garden. Then he kissed her temple lightly and left to find the council that would decide their fates if he screwed up.

The meeting did not go as Loki had wanted. He tried to convince them to send her back to Midgard if he failed as a king, but they refused. They said that if she stands by him as King, she must also stand by him in punishment. They planned on sending her to Asgard's Red Light District and binding her to a master so she could only leave with him. Loki tried to argue, but they said that if he didn't accept their "considerate" decision they would have her sent there that day, and if he went to visit her he would lose the throne and her punishment would be worse. Loki sighed in frustration but reluctantly agreed, realizing he had to convince her to leave him and move back to Midgard before he had a chance to mess up.

* * *

When Natasha woke up and Loki was gone, she sat up straight in the bed. The sun was high in the sky, illuminating the room and showing Loki was not there. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, turning to the side where he slept, and saw the note on his pillow. She sighed but got dressed, putting on a green and black gown with red rose embroidery, and her green and gold heeled slippers. She started flipping through some books on Loki's shelf and found one she could actually read, much to her surprise, then took it out to the tree from her vision.

Loki was already there, making red and gold flowers grow in the tree. She could tell he was upset about something from the slight crease between his eyes. Frowning, she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He startled but turned and pulled her against his chest tightly.

"What happened?" she asked immediately, and she felt him shake her head.

"Nothing," he replied. She sighed.

"Loki, don't lie to me. I know something is wrong, and I'll find out what it is sooner or later so just tell me," she said, irritation evident in her tone. She pulled away from him and sat down under the tree, grabbing his hand and pulling her down with him. "You can trust me, Loki."

"I do trust you. I just don't want you to ever find out what's wrong," he said with a sigh.

"It's about what happens if the people think you're a bad king, isn't it?" Natasha asked, and when he didn't answer and averted his gaze, she knew she was right. "What happened? If you don't tell me, I'll find out for myself."

"When you go to Midgard for Christmas, I think it would be better if you stayed there and didn't come back to Asgard," Loki said after several minutes. Natasha shook her head.

"No," she said immediately. "That's not an option, Loki. It's not happening."

"Tasha, please. You can't stay here. If I'm not a good enough king, you'll be punished too," he pleaded with her, but she leveled him a look that could have stopped Odin in his tracks.

"Loki, if they want to turn me into a whore again, I'll survive. But I won't run away because I'm scared. I don't run from danger if there's a chance I can get something out of it," she said, and he shook his head.

"I won't let you do that to yourself," he said, taking her hands in his. "The thought of losing you kills me, but the thought of you be punished that way because of me again-and don't fight me on that again because I was the only reason you came to Asgard in the first place-I couldn't do it. I can handle a lot of things but I cannot handle that."

"Then let me speak to the council deciding this. Let me negotiate our fates. I won't go down without a fight, Loki, and if I'm punished for loving you, then it's worth it," she said softly. "Please, Loki, I have an idea."

"Do you know it will work?" he asked, and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Loki, I can see the future. If I focus on something specific, I can see how a certain future would pan out, and I've seen ours. I won't tell you what happens, but I need you to trust me to handle this. Every king needs someone to help him. Odin had Frigga, and now you have me. You don't have to do this alone," she said, taking her hands from his gently and cupping his cheeks. He smiled softly, something akin to sadness in his eyes.

"I know I'm going to regret this, but I will take you to them. I just hope you're sure about this," he said, standing up. He turned and lifted her to her feet gently, setting her forgotten book on a nearby bench as he led her out of the gardens and towards the room where the council deciding their fate were waiting. Before the doors opened, she kissed him quickly but fiercely, then smiled at him and walked inside.

"Loki, why have you brought her here? I thought we made it very clear what would happen if you continued to press this issue," one of the six council members said, raising an eyebrow. Natasha vaguely recognized him, but not enough to name him. In fact, she recognized all of the council members, but not with any detail. Maybe from her first day in the garden as Arnljot paraded her around, maybe from the night she was supposed to be the entertainment at the party, or maybe she had seen them since she had been freed, but she couldn't place it exactly. She cleared her throat to get their attention back on her.

"Loki brought me here because I asked him to. For the moment, I am a free woman, and I would like to be considered as such," she said, her voice filled with authority and invoking shame in the three men and three women around the table. When they were quiet and focused on her, she continued. "Thank you. Now, I know Asgard is counting on you to punish myself and Loki should he fail as a king, and I know you plan on turning me back into a whore if he does. I'm here to negotiate the terms of that punishment."

"There are no terms to negotiate," one of the women spoke up. "You were Asgard's whore for a year, and if you are being punished, you will be Asgard's whore for life. That is that."

"Not quite," Natasha replied, making sure she sounded regal and intimidating, the way she did when questioning people for S.H.I.E.L.D. or convincing someone to do what she wanted. "I propose you give us two weeks to prove Loki is worthy of ruling. At the end of those two weeks will be December 25th, which is Christmas on Midgard and I have already decided I will go to New York to visit my family. You may have that day to reflect on Loki's actions, and when I return on the 26th you will either leave Loki on the throne or sentence us to lives of punishment. Should we be punished, I promise I will willingly cooperate, so long as I can spend my nights, or whatever time I will have to rest and sleep, with Loki. If I can have that and eat whatever meals I am allowed with him, which during my year as a whore for the guards was breakfast and dinner, I will obey anyone I am given to. I will willingly be a whore for the guards, the warriors, the men and women of Asgard, the servants, the criminals in the dungeon, any visiting nobles from other realms, whoever you wish to give me to. If not, I will fight to my dying breath. I will also agree to this: if I do not return on the 26th for what I will call our trial, you may add to my punishment. For every day I am late, if Loki proved to be a good king, I will agree to be a prostitute for a certain period of time under the same conditions I specified for my life sentence. If Loki failed as a ruler, for that same period of time, you can suspend my visiting privileges and I will not see him, and you can choose another way to punish me however you wish."

The room was silent as she finished, her words seeming to echo against the walls. She felt Loki's worried gaze on her back, but she kept her steady gaze on the council as they discussed her terms. One of the other men looked over at her.

"For every day you are late, you will be a whore for one year," the man said, and Loki jumped in, much to Natasha's irritation.

"A year is too harsh for being a day late. One week," he argued. The council members chuckled at his demand, and Natasha shot him a steely glare.

"Two months," Natasha replied. "If I stay on Midgard through New Year's Day, that would be a year of punishment. Is that fair?"

"We will agree to your terms," the second woman replied after a few minutes of discussion, "on one condition. If you are late and Loki is seen to be a good enough king, he may not visit you while you are working, and you will not be allowed to have sex with him until your punishment is over."

"That's two-" Loki began to argue, but Natasha shut him up with a glare.

"I accept your condition. Have we come to an agreement?" the redhead asked, holding her head up high. The council members nodded.

"We have. Good day, Ms. Romanov. Your majesty," the first man said, nodding to them in turn and gesturing to the door. Natasha nodded in return and walked out like a queen, leaving a stunned Loki to follow behind her.

They walked to their shared bedroom in silence, and when they got there, Natasha sat on one of the couches, watching him with a raised eyebrow until he sat next to her. He opened and shut his mouth repeatedly, reminding Natasha of a fish, until he finally seemed able to form a coherent question to ask her.

"Do you realize what you've gotten yourself into?" Loki finally asked. Natasha smiled slightly at him and began to comb her fingers through his hair.

"Of course I do. No matter how they punish me, I will still spend my time to rest and whatever meals I am allowed with you. The only way that changes is if I'm late returning to Asgard, which means that I can't stay in New York after Christmas," she said, and he shook his head.

"Clint will never let you return if he knows what's in store for you," he said, grabbing the hand that was playing with his hair gently. "What are you going to tell him?"

"The truth. I'll tell him I have to go back to be told you're a good king, and then I will see him again on New Year's Eve. It's that simple," she said. He sighed.

"And if it's not?" he asked, and it was her turn to sigh. She climbed onto his lap and kissed him lovingly, pushing any negative thought from his mind. He reluctantly kissed her back, and when she broke the kiss several minutes later, he leaned his forehead against hers.

"Loki, you are a good king. I know you are. So long as you keep the needs of the people in your mind and rule accordingly, and don't try delay me on the 26th, neither of us will be punished. You are more than good enough for Asgard," she told him, scratching the base of his skull lightly. He brushed his lips against hers quickly and lightly, making her smile. She knew she had won.

"Fine. If you're sure everything will be okay, and you think you can handle what will happen if you're wrong, I will trust you," he told her, holding her close.

"I don't ever get myself into anything I don't know I can handle," she reminded him. He sighed and began to kiss her neck.

"I hope you're right," he murmured against her skin, nudging her head back so he could reach better. She hummed in response, deciding words were pointless right now, and let him do what he wanted.

* * *

Late that night, Loki and Natasha were curled in bed together, but neither could sleep. Loki was going over a thousand ways she could be hurt if he failed, and every so often Natasha would have a vision about what he was seeing. Around midnight, she had had enough, and sat up and moved to the edge of the bed, startling him. He looked at her curiously.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, slowly coming out of his reverie.

"You need to relax. I keep having visions connected to whatever you're thinking about, and none of them are very nice," she said, raising an eyebrow at him, and he looked away uncomfortably. "Roll over, onto your stomach."

"Okay…" he said, doing as she said but not understanding why she wanted it.

As soon as he was comfortable and the way she wanted, she moved to kneel next to him. She ran her hands over his back lightly, and then started to massage his back and shoulders. She found spots of tension and worked them out, and when she felt she had begun to calm him down, she started humming. It was the lullaby her mom always sang to her, the one she forgot the words to long ago. She lost herself in the melody and rhythm of her hands massaging Loki's back, and didn't notice when he slowly pushed himself onto his elbows to look at her.

"Natasha, what are you singing?" he asked, breaking her trance, and she shook her head for a moment before shrugging.

"I don't know, actually. My mom used to sing it to me, but I forgot the words a long time ago, while I was in the Red Room. The tune stuck with me, though," she said, gently pushing on his back to get him to lie back down, but he shook his head and sat back up, making her frown. "Loki, lie back down. I'm not done."

"I recognize the song," he said, tucking a curl behind her ear. "My mother used to sing it to me every night until I was nearly 10, and after that she would sing it when I was sad or hurt. Would you, like to hear the lyrics?"

"You know them…?" Natasha asked, stunned, and Loki nodded. "I would love to."

He smiled and pulled her closer to him, cradling her in his arms as if she was a young child. She rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes, enjoying how she felt perfectly safe for the first time in forever.

"_Hön'marën kena-uva kala_

_Indönya ullumeá  
Nör'ande sëra mi lorien  
Îm'eri ratö naya  
Larya nîn mëlissè  
Le sinte îma sinomë  
Ána sama lemî oloorë  
Le ar'uunèr ana kaurë  
Uur'anor wannëa  
Isilme va'arya  
Telume siila tere  
Na'are utumno wanya  
Erüma, helkàda  
Raanè ressè  
Lörna à'kuilä  
Vàrna mi'olör  
Türma ei ràumo  
Sinomë_," he sang to her. Halfway through the song, her head began to swim and her vision spun until she lost all connection to the world around her…

_She was standing in her parent's bedroom in their cabin, and her mother was standing next to the window, looking out it and humming with her back to Natasha. She was holding something in her arms, but Natasha couldn't see what it was. Slowly, the song she was humming grew louder and louder, until Sierra-Nicole started singing the words._

_"Hön'marën kena-uva kala_

_Indönya ullumeá_  
_Nör'ande sëra mi lorien_  
_Îm'eri ratö naya_  
_Larya nîn mëlissè_  
_Le sinte îma sinomë_  
_Ána sama lemî oloorë_  
_Le ar'uunèr ana kaurë_  
_Uur'anor wannëa_  
_Isilme va'arya_  
_Telume siila tere_  
_Na'are utumno wanya_  
_Erüma, helkàda_  
_Raanè ressè_  
_Lörna à'kuilä_  
_Vàrna mi'olör_  
_Türma ei ràumo_  
_Sinomë," her mother sang, slowly turning until Natasha could see the baby in the woman's arms. It was a little girl, less than a year old, with a head of bright red curls and wide, sparkling green eyes. The child watched her mother in awe, a tiny smile on her lips as she slowly fell asleep to the soothing lullaby. Nicole looked up with a smile then, her green eyes flashing gold as she seemed to look straight at Natasha. She nodded to her with a sad smile, and mouthed, "I love you," as her eyes turned green again. Ivan came in then, and wrapped his arms around his wife and daughter, holding the two women he loved more than life itself in his arms._

Natasha came back to reality just as Loki finished singing, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. She tried to wipe them away before he noticed, but he was watching her during her vision and gently wiped them away with his thumb.

"What did you see?" he asked when she could breathe properly again.

"My mother. She was singing the song. I was just a baby, and she was holding me and singing. It's called _Lullaby from a Distant Land_," she said, he nodded silently to confirm the title of the song. "When I was asleep and she finished singing the song, I swear she looked right me. Not baby me, but looked at where I was watching the vision, and she could see me. Her eyes turned gold, and she mouthed, "I love you" before her eyes turned green again and my father came in. The vision ended there. Loki, is it possible she could have seen me?"

"I suppose it would be," he said, sitting up against the pillows and pulling her into his lap. His hand fell to her hip and he started rubbing circles across her still-visible hipbone. "The traditional laws of time and space don't apply to trained or powerful seers. She may have had a vision of you standing there, all grown up, and realized you would see that moment eventually so she left you a message of sorts."

"So, like voicemail?" she asked in confusion, and sighed when he looked at her like he had no idea what she was talking about. "Where you call but the person doesn't answer, so you leave a message that their phone records and plays back to them when they're able to see it."

"Oh. I suppose it would be voicemail, of a sort. What people don't realize is that seers are actually very powerful. They can do more than just see visions of things that have happened already or will happen in the future, but the really talented ones can pass through the barriers of our universe and into alternate realities," he said, and Natasha's eyes widened slightly.

"So like, what would have happened if one event hadn't gone the way it did?" she asked, thinking back to the vision she had of Kitty on her first day in Asgard.

"Exactly," he said, nodding. "Usually the barriers between realities are weakest when someone is at a fork in their path, and whichever decision they make will influence which reality becomes their reality. For example, when you had the vision about them killing you if Thor found out, you had a choice. Either let him find out and die, or make sure no one would tell him and live. In an alternate reality, you died."

"Wow," was all she could say, and she felt him shrug.

"It gets really complicated beyond that. My mother used to say there were seers that could open portals to other realities and hide people in them, or move to a happier one and live there, but she never explained how they did it. They just, did," he said, and his hand stopped rubbing circles on her hip. "If things here get bad, you have to figure out how to open a portal so you can get out."

"Loki," she sighed, turning around and kissing him gently, "things won't get that bad. I promise. Don't worry about me. Just worry about being a great king, and I'll handle whatever else comes our way, okay?"

"Tasha, I just," he started, but she cut him off with a pointed look. After several minutes of silence, he sighed. "Okay, fine."

"Thank you," she said, kissing him lightly. "Now what does the song mean?"

"_My heart shall see light_

_Our hearts shall be forever  
Go forth, rest in dreamland  
I'll soon be there.  
Wait for me my love  
You know I'm here  
To join you in dreams  
You have nothing to fear.  
Fiery sun, begone,  
Moonlight, protect us,  
Heaven's star, shine through,  
Flame of hell, vanish.  
Lonely voice, cold and bare  
Wandering alone,  
Asleep, yet awake  
Safe in dreams  
Shelter from the storm  
Here_," he sang softly, making her smile. He kissed her temple gently when he finished.

"It's better in the original language," he admitted, and Natasha laughed.

"That it is," she said, and the two fell into a silence so deep she almost thought he had fallen asleep. If it wasn't for him playing with her curls, that is. "Loki?"

"Hm?" he replied, stopping playing with her hair. She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

"Will you come to Midgard with me on Christmas?" she asked. He sighed.

"Natasha, they'll try to kill me as soon as they see me," he told her, but she shook her head fervently.

"I'll show them everything, I swear. I won't leave any details out. I'll show them everything that happened since they last saw me. When they see what you did for me, they'll welcome you in," she promised. "I'll even show you as much of my life as I can, starting with my visions of my mom and going from there. Loki, what we do Christmas Day won't affect our punishments. They're deciding our fate that day. Nothing will change if we aren't here."

"You'd show them everything?" Loki asked in surprise. "You'd let them see men try to break you, own you, almost kill you? Just so they don't kill me?"

"Loki, you were my knight in shining armor when I needed one the most. Very few men can say that, and the guys need to see everything to understand what you did for me," she said softly. "So yes, I would let them see me broken so they don't kill you."

"I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to do, and I know you really don't want them to see that," he said, tucking a stray curl behind her ear.

"But I want you there. So I'll show them everything, and I'll show you my life, just like you asked me to," she told him, her eyes wide and pleading. "Please, Loki."

"Very well," he conceded, knowing he really couldn't say no to her. She smiled and kissed him lightly.

"Thank you. Loki, you have nothing to fear from them, or anyone. Now get some sleep," she said, lying down and curling up into his side. He sighed before following her.

Clint was going to kill him for letting this happen to her.

* * *

**So? Did you like it? By the way, the song is called Lullaby from a Distant Land, by Forest Elves. Check it out on YouTube! I think it's really pretty.**

**And now for my story idea: Natasha has been training to see into other realities, and whenever she's able to open a window into a new one, she shows it to Loki. Basically each chapter would be an alternate universe for The Runaway Seer, with little details changed that change the entire story. (So, in one, Natasha's mother wouldn't have been captured, or in another, Heimdall would have gotten permission to have a child, and how those details change the story we know.) Should I do it? You guys can give ideas as to what details you would like to see change the story in reviews and stuff. I'm more than open to requests!**

**Snowflakes of love and fun to you all! ~Des**


	12. Chapter 12: Home for Christmas

**Heeeeeeeeeeey everyone... *sneaks out from where I've been hiding for the past six months* Remember me? Please don't be too mad. I just finished my senior year of high school (which was absolutely insane and I had no time for ANYTHING besides homework), and I know what college I'll be going to in August and I was in Iceland and then China and Scottsdale and now Hawaii, but I'm back!**

**As a reward for waiting for so long, I'm posting chapters 12 and 13 consecutively. The next three chapters (at least) will be about Christmas with the Avengers and how they adjust to Natasha's time in Asgard, and everyone is proud of Natasha in this chapter so be ready for that. I really hope you guys like this!**

**Btw: For anyone following my story But Then, Then I Saw the Moon, I'm almost done with chapter 23. I'll try to have it up by the weekend, I promise.**

**Anyway, I'll be quiet so you all can read now. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Home for Christmas**

The two weeks passed too quickly for Loki. The first week, he woke up early in the mornings and worked until late at night, and even skipped his meals, much to Natasha's irritation. After the first week (and a threat to move to her own room somewhere else in the palace), he finally agreed to relax. She convinced him to eat with her, and insisted on sitting with him wherever he was so she could be sure he wasn't overworking himself. She found that if she was with him, he was more conscious of his own needs because he was aware of hers. If he felt hungry, it reminded him that they both needed to eat, and if he felt tired, he realized that she probably needed to sleep too. Secretly, she wanted to be able to watch him rule, and see that she was right and he was taking care of the people as well as Odin ever had. In her-admittedly quite biased-opinion, he was better than Odin.

Soon enough, it was Christmas Eve, and Natasha felt like a child again. She was filled with energy and couldn't sleep, even though sleeping was the only thing Loki wanted to do. He was worried about how he had ruled over the past two weeks, worried about whether or not she would be punished, and he was exhausted. But watching her smile and run around the room, making sure all the presents were wrapped and ready for the next day and that she had her dress and Loki's outfit picked out (which she had done three days earlier but had to make sure), he couldn't be irritated. She was so happy and free that he wanted to watch every moment of it, but he couldn't stop himself from dozing off for a few minutes at a time. Around midnight, he had dozed off, but woke up when she kissed his forehead softly.

"Shhh, Loki. Go back to sleep," she murmured, brushing his hair off of his face. "It's late, and you need to rest."

"You need sleep too, though," he said as he turned to face her. He frowned when he saw she was wearing a black dress with green runes embroidered on it and a black, hooded, fur-lined cape. "Are you going somewhere? What's going on?"

"Calm down. It's midnight, and I can't sleep. I was just going to go talk to Heimdall for a little while," she said, smiling down at him softly. He tried to push himself into a sitting position, but she held him down, gently and firmly.

"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked, his mind whirring with all the possible ways she could get hurt, and she rolled her eyes.

"Loki, I'm a big girl. I can handle myself. You need to sleep. I promise I won't be gone long," she said, kissing him lightly. "And since I knew you wouldn't let me go alone, I asked Audun to accompany me. He's going to escort me to the Bifrost and back to the palace when I'm ready."

"Ok," Loki said, smiling sleepily at the woman he loves. "Just be careful."

"I promise. Now sleep," she said softly, pulling the hood up around her curls and leaving the room silently. Loki watched her go with heavy eyes before falling into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Audun met her at the palace doors and accompanied her silently through the darkened streets of Asgard. When they were outside the city and at the edge of the Bifrost, he stopped her.

"I thought you weren't leaving for Midgard until the morning, my lady. You should be asleep," he said, and Natasha rolled her eyes.

"Audun, you've seen me at my weakest, when I couldn't have sunk any lower. Just call me Natasha," she said. He smiled at her.

"I would, my lady, if that were true. But you were never weak. You were smart. You survived. You were strong and regal and just when everyone thought Arnljot had broken you, you bounced back," he said softly, looking at her with admiration in his honey colored eyes. "I know you think I was only kind to you because I'm attracted to men, but that was only part of why I didn't participate in raping you. I was kind to you because I respect you, as a woman and a queen. I've seen girls be forced into your position and break with less than you ever put up with. One night with the guards and they were all but dead. The ones that survived were relocated to the brothels and whorehouses of Asgard where the guards couldn't destroy them any further. Your mother ran away before she could be given to the guards. The girls working in the palace all knew what happened when they disobeyed too many times, or when they were beaten or treated like dirt. They were given to the guards, who either killed the girls or destroyed their minds to the point where they had to be relocated. Natasha, you came here, knowing you would be punished, and you survived it. You remained intact. You were not weak, and you were not at your lowest point, as much as you may believe. You behaved as a queen would, and therefore you have my respect as a queen."

"Thank you," she said, her green eyes glistening as she hugged him tightly.

"For what, my lady? Guards are supposed to protect people, and I did a pretty horrible job protecting you," he said, half teasing, half serious. She shook her head.

"From my position, every bit of kindness helped. You protected me in the only way you could. I'm sorry Arnljot wasn't better," she said. He laughed at her softly.

"My lady, I'm sorry Arnljot wasn't better too. Maybe, in some twisted reality, he could have been a good person, and maybe we could have been happy and you wouldn't have been hurt by him. But it's like you said, these are the cards we were dealt long ago, and there's no point in trying to change them now. He was a horrible person, and he deserved his death," Audun said. "Now go. I know you promised Loki you wouldn't be gone long and you still need to sleep before going to Midgard tomorrow."

"Thank you, Audun," she said, walking quickly across the rainbow bridge where her grandfather was waiting for her.

"Natasha," Heimdall said with a smile. She nodded to him respectfully.

"Heimdall," she said, moving to stand near him. He stepped down from his podium in the middle of the Observatory and opened his arms, inviting her in for a hug. She accepted it, feeling like a child compared to her grandfather's much larger frame.

"I see you are recovering," he said as he pulled away to look at her. "Slowly, but you are recovering."

"Loki's been taking good care of me," she admitted, smiling despite herself.

"I'm proud of him. He is a good king," he said, resting his hand on her shoulder gently. "But more importantly, I'm proud of you, Natasha."

"Why me?" she asked, tilting her head in confusion. He laughed softly, guiding her over to the large window looking out at the thousands of stars filling the universe.

"For the same reason everyone is proud of you. You did what no one else could do, survived what no one should ever have to survive, and overcame every obstacle you had to face. It's like Audun said, you remained intact, and you acted like a queen," her grandfather told her, his golden eyes shining. "You will keep your promise to Clint, you're planning on showing them everything so they will accept Loki, and you somehow learned to trust people despite the pain you were going through. You are more than what Asgard deserves for a queen."

"I don't know. I never imagined myself as a ruler, and a year ago, all I wanted was to go back to Midgard," she said softly, scanning the stars to find her friends. She didn't understand how Heimdall could see everyone in the entire universe all the time. With a start, she realized something she never even considered, and her head snapped to look at her grandfather. "Heimdall?"

"Yes, my queen?" he asked, an almost teasing smile lighting up his eyes.

"Could you see me during my, punishment?" she asked quietly, and he sighed, the smile fading immediately. He moved to sit on the top step of his podium, and she followed him. Her skirt and cloak swirled out in a circle around her as she sat down, turning to face her grandfather who was staring out at the stars.

"Yes, I could. I am so sorry, Natasha. Everything that happened to you was my fault. Had I only gotten permission…" he trailed off, but Natasha shook her head.

"Then we would be in very different circumstances," she said, looking out at the stars. "You're talking about alternate realities, Heimdall. Loki told me about them two weeks ago, and I've been trying to see them. I've seen a few different ones, but I haven't been able to open a window long enough to see what was different in that reality. I could only see what was happening at that moment."

"I've heard of seers being able to enter alternate realities, but I've never met one who could. I never knew if your mother could or not, but I assumed she couldn't. Had she been able to, she likely would have hidden in one instead of running away," he said, smiling slightly at her. "You are every bit the woman she hoped you would be."

"Thank you," Natasha said softly, wrapping her arms around him. He smiled and hugged her back.

"Of course," he said, pulling away with a smile before he became deathly serious. "Now, you do realize what you've gotten yourself into should they decide Loki is unfit to rule, don't you? You would be in a situation where you are constantly violated and raped for a third time."

"If we're going to be technical, it would be the fourth time. I count my two weeks as Kitty as a time because had anything gone wrong, she's who I would be right now," Natasha said grimly. "But hey, the third time's the charm, right? I know what I got myself into. I've tried to see a future where Loki was a bad king, but I can't see anything. In every timeline I can find, he either doesn't rule or is a good king. And you said it yourself, he is a good king. He cares about the people and is trying his hardest to do a good job. There is nothing to worry about."

"That is true, I suppose. I'm just surprised you negotiated what you did. I would have expected you to leave for Midgard when you found out," Heimdall said. "Why'd you do it?"

"What kind of Queen would I become if I abandoned Asgard every time something scared me? What kind of agent would I be if I ran from every mission that had a risk? I care about Loki and I trust him, and I care about the people closest to me on Asgard, like you, Audun, Misty, Sif, and the Warriors Three. I can't turn my back on you all like that," she said, smirking at her grandfather. "Besides, it wasn't all of Asgard who wronged me, and I don't even truly blame the guards because they were just following Odin's orders. Arnljot took it too far, and I will always hate him, but the others…I've done horrible things at the order of someone else my whole life. It would be hypocritical of me to hate them for doing the same. And if Loki and I wronged all of Asgard, it is only appropriate that all of Asgard should have a say in our punishment."

"You truly are more than Asgard deserves, Natasha. I will never be able to forgive the guards for what they did to you, or Odin for ordering it. It's part of why I was so quick to agree to help Thor commit treason, and why I refuse to do anything more than glare at the guards. It's why I killed Arnljot when the elves attacked," Heimdall admitted, smiling almost sheepishly, but without regret. "I even considered killing Odin, but I could see how he had diminished after Frigga died and realized it wasn't worth it. I can't imagine how you can forgive them."

"I hate to say it, but if I were in their position, I probably would have done the same thing. They're loyal to their king and to Asgard, and they wanted to prove it. I was just a shiny new toy with some training who could help them show where their loyalties lied. It wasn't always loyalty, I know. I'm not blind. But that's what started it. I've done things just as horrible, or maybe worse, to do the same thing. I have lied and killed in the service of liars and killers, and I did it to show I was loyal to the person giving me my orders," she admitted with a grimace. "I'm not proud of what I've done, and I've tried for years to make amends and balance out my ledger. But that doesn't change the fact that I did it."

"I understand, but do you have any plans for when they say you and Loki are fit to rule? I can't imagine you would just rule the way Frigga and Odin did," he said, watching her carefully as she sighed.

"I do, actually. I'm not going to let my punishment be the norm in Asgard anymore. I know Loki will support that, and if what Audun said was true, no one should have to go through that again. The guards have destroyed girls who never deserved that kind of punishment. If someone is going to give themselves away like that, they should do so freely, but it should never be forced upon them," she said, playing with the hem of her cape. "I'm also going to personally oversee the training of the guards. I've seen how they fight, and they need a lot more training. Sif and I were able to defeat most of them with ease the day Asgard was invaded by the elves, and how can they defend Asgard when they haven't been trained? I want to have more women becoming guards and warriors, so maybe Sif can help with that. I want Asgard to be better. It's already strong; it's the defender of the Nine Realms. But that doesn't mean it's perfect, not by a long shot, and I want to help it get there. The people deserve better than they've had: the quiet threats that not everyone sees, but everyone understands, and they shouldn't live like that. No one should."

"Then the people are lucky you came, and you will make your parents proud," Heimdall said, taking her hand and squeezing it gently. She smiled and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you," she said gratefully, and Heimdall smiled before letting go.

"Of course. Now, you really need to get back to the palace and get some rest. You told Loki you wouldn't be gone long and you still need to get some sleep. I'll send you to Midgard when you're ready," her grandfather promised, and Natasha nodded. They quickly said their goodbyes before Audun escorted Natasha back to the palace.

When she got back to her shared room with Loki, she peeled off her dress and curled up into his side. He was in a deep sleep, but his arm still wrapped around her waist and pulled her even closer to him. She kissed his chest lightly and fell asleep.

* * *

Natasha woke up as the sun was barely beginning to peek over the horizon, but that was daylight enough for her. She was-once again-filled with energy, and she almost felt like a kid again. She smiled and climbed on top of Loki, kissing up his neck and along his jawline until he woke up. When she felt him smirk sleepily she kissed his lips, gradually deepening the kiss as he woke up more and more. Eventually his right hand was tangled in her hair and his left was holding her hip, pulling her as close as he could get her. When her energy finally bubbled to the surface, she laughed softly despite herself and Loki broke the kiss with a chuckle.

"You're in a good mood for someone who barely slept last night," he remarked, carding his fingers through her curls gently. She just smiled down at him, her green eyes filled with a sparkle he'd never seen before.

"It's Christmas, we're going to go visit my family, why wouldn't I be in a good mood? I haven't seen them in fifteen months, and you haven't seen them in even longer," she said, sitting up a little. Loki ran his hands over her ribcage, sighing when he still felt each bone. She was gaining weight again, finally, but after fourteen months of torture and near starvation, she needed a lot more than just a month to be back to how she was before she came to Asgard.

"Natasha, they won't want to see me," he started, but she just shook her head, making her curls-messy from having just woken up after sleeping with her hair down-bounce around her face.

"Thor will. It'll be hard for him, at first. He won't understand what happened, and he'll probably be stunned, but he'll want to see you, to see you happy," she said, cupping his cheek gently. "As for the others, you're probably right. They won't _want_ to see you, but that doesn't change the fact that they are going to see you, and that they'll be happy to see you when they realize you're the only reason I'm able to visit them."

"I'm not the only reason," he argued. "Odin would have sent you back."

"No, Loki, he wouldn't. Had he not died, he would have sent me to a brothel and bound me to the building. He wouldn't have sent me to Midgard because I said having everyone help Jane and then trying to escape was my plan from the start. That I had seen what would happen months ago and had devised a plan for you and I to escape amid all of the commotion. That I had used my magic to give Thor the idea of freeing you to set everything in motion. That I had convinced everyone to go along with a plan to commit treason. That it was my plan, not Thor's," Natasha admitted. Loki's jaw dropped.

"And he believed that?" he asked incredulously. Natasha just laughed, an almost bitterly amused sound.

"Of course he didn't. If it was my plan and I had seen everything, there would have been a provision about your death in it. I would have escaped Asgard during all of the fighting and confusion as you, Jane, and Thor were leaving for the Dark World, instead of hiding in the palace with Sif, Fandral, and Volstagg," she said with a soft sigh. "However, it gave him an excuse to not punish the rest of you. If an evil sorceress hiding in the palace as a servant had coerced you all into committing treason and going after the Dark Elves, then you weren't truly to blame. You were being controlled, and your actions weren't your own. You were innocent, and I could be given all of the blame in the eyes of Asgard."

"Are you ever going to stop carrying the weight of the world and getting yourself into dangerous situations?" Loki asked her, concern and exhaustion seeping into his voice. She shook her head a little.

"Probably not. It's my job. Besides, you were dead, so it didn't really matter anymore," she said. Loki sighed and sat up, pulling her close to him.

"Well, I'm back and it's not your job anymore, so you can relax," he said, already forming a plan to help her if she couldn't relax on her own.

"Now, you have two options. You can start getting ready to go visit the other Avengers, or you can stay in bed with me until the sun is higher in the sky," he added suggestively, running his hands over her thighs. She just rolled her eyes and kissed him deeply.

"We have some time," she murmured, making him laugh. He was going to make sure she would remember this Christmas forever.

* * *

A few hours later, the two were walking down the Bifrost to the Observatory, laden with the gifts Natasha got for her friends. Loki insisted on carrying them piled high so he wouldn't be recognized immediately, and Natasha used her magic so he could still see in front of him. Heimdall was waiting patiently for them to arrive, ready to send them down to Midgard for the day. He greeted them and immediately moved to his platform, and the two moved to where the portal was open.

"Are you ready?" Loki asked her, his voice muffled slightly, and Natasha smiled as she smoothed the skirt of her gown.

She was wearing a floor-length, gold gown with silvery runes stitched throughout the silk, a scooping neckline, and long sleeves. It was skin-tight and flared out just above her knees to float around her feet, giving the illusion that she was flying, and the only jewelry she wore was the silver arrow necklace Clint gave her. Loki was wearing a black suit, similar to the one he wore in Germany but more regal, with a green tie that had gold runes subtly stitched into it. His still-long black hair was brushed back, and Natasha had braided part of it in a traditional Asgardian style for kings that Misty had taught her. Natasha's own red curls were left down, with only a few of her gold and emerald pins tucked in to hold them off her face.

"I am if you are," she answered, touching his hand gently. "Heimdall, open the Bifrost."

Her grandfather smiled at her and pushed his sword into the pedestal, opening the rainbow bridge that would bring her and Loki to Stark Tower. In a dizzying flash of color, they felt themselves be transported across the realms to her family on earth.

* * *

"No, Tony. We're not going caroling," Steve said, mild annoyance slipping into his voice.

"But why?" the billionaire whined, pouting. Clint just laughed at his boyfriend's kicked puppy expression.

"Because you've already had a drink, and we all know you're going to pick up speed by the time it gets late enough to really go caroling. Besides, remember what happened last year?" Bruce asked, rolling his eyes.

"That was one time!" Tony indignantly replied.

"And knowing you, it won't be the last," Pepper said knowingly. The guys all started laughing then, but were cut off by a blinding flash of rainbow light coming from the balcony outside the common area.

"Thor, are you expecting someone…?" Steve asked slowly, reaching for his shield as he stood up. Thor shook his head.

"No," he said as the light faded and his jaw dropped. "Impossible…"

Clint turned around to see what his teammate was looking at, and his heart stopped for a moment. In seconds, he was outside and running towards the figure. The sunlight reflected off of her ruby red curls, setting them on fire, and he barely heard her familiar voice call his name as he pulled her in for a hug.

"Natasha? How? Why now? What happened? Thor said he didn't know where you were and we were starting to think you'd never come home. Is it really you?" Clint asked, stepping back to look at her. "You've lost so much weight…"

"It's really me, Clint. I had to come home for Christmas," she said, tears pricking her emerald eyes. Before she could say anything else, the rest of the team were pulling her in for bone-crushing hugs. Only Thor stood off to the side, watching her with wide, almost disbelieving eyes.

"Lady Natasha, how are you here?" Thor asked, and the redhead sighed while her family held their breath.

"I'll explain inside. Come on," she said, leading the way in. Clint followed with his hand on the small of her back, afraid to move too far in case she vanished again. Tony came next, giving the two assassins some space. Steve, Pepper, and Bruce followed suit, knowing they would all have time to catch up with their friend. Thor was the last to go, staring at the faceless stranger holding a pile of presents. Natasha stopped just inside, indicating for everyone else to fill in the room in front of her. The stranger holding the presents stopped and stood right behind her.

"It's a long story, so you may want to get comfortable," Natasha said, motioning toward the couches. All but Thor sat down.

"Lady Natasha, who have you brought with you?" he asked. Natasha nodded slightly and turned to face the mountain of gifts.

"It's okay. Put them down," she said soothingly. The stranger moved slowly to the table next to the elaborately decorated Christmas tree (Tony always did like to go all-out on holidays) and set down the pile of gifts as carefully as he could before turning around.

"Loki?!" Tony exclaimed, and all of the Avengers jumped out of their seats.

Bruce pulled Pepper behind him quickly but gently as his eyes began to glow green. Clint pulled his bow out from behind the couch and Tony grabbed one of Clint's guns while Steve grabbed his shield. Thor, however, looked as though he'd seen a ghost. They were about to attack when Natasha jumped in front of them.

"STOP!" she yelled, and suddenly a ring of green and gold fire sprung up around her and Loki, separating them from the others. The fire was real and burning hot, but the edges were an illusion so that nothing would start burning unless it passed through the flames. The tension in the air was felt all around, and the only sound was the crackling of the magic fire.

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**So? What did everyone think?**

**The next chapter will be posted right after this one, so you don't have to wait for the third "Yes" this time. That said, reviews are still welcome! Even if they're just angry rants over how late I am...**

**Snowflakes of love and fun to you all! ~Des**


	13. Chapter 13: Let Me Explain

**Hey! So, just to clarify, make sure you've read Chapter 12 before reading this one! I'm updating two chapters back to back so make sure you're on the right chapter before continuing.**

**In this chapter: Natasha gets a chance to explain and we see some Foster-dad!Clint and Natasha moments that I think are cute. I hope you guys like them too. (There isn't a lot of interaction between the Avengers and Loki in this chapter. I wanted to focus on Natasha's explanation because what's happened in the story is her story to tell, not Loki's. I'm planning some Loki-Avengers bonding for the next chapter, so if you have any suggestions, feel free to comment!)**

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 13: Let Me Explain**

"You've been practicing," Loki said thoughtfully, looking around at the wall of fire with amusement and awe in his eyes. Natasha turned and flashed him a half-smile.

"Well what did you think I was doing while you were working so hard?" she asked, a teasing note in her voice in spite of the minor situation they were in. Loki just rolled his eyes at her.

"Natasha, what is going on?" Clint asked from the other side of the flame.

"Loki, let her go!" Steve demanded, talking over Clint. Someone tried to throw something at the wall of fire, but whatever it was instantly caught fire and burned away.

"Just stop for a minute and let me explain! Please!" Natasha pleaded with them. "I promise, I'll show you all everything, and this will all make sense, but you have to give me a chance to explain."

"It'd better be a damn good explanation, Romanov," Tony said, almost under his breath. Natasha could hear them slowly setting down their weapons.

"It explains everything. Even some stuff you may not like…" she trailed off as she allowed the fire to fade away. Loki rested his hand on her shoulder for a moment to give her a reassuring squeeze before stepping back to give her space. He didn't miss the cold look Clint gave him. It was a look he hadn't seen in a very long time.

"Natasha, what happened?" the archer asked, coming and resting his hands on her shoulders. The ex-assassin shook her head slightly and sighed.

"Clint, sit. All of you. It'll be easier. What I'm going to show you…my visions are already hard enough to handle standing up. It's hard to keep your balance when you're in a vision. If I'm standing I usually have to hold onto something, and you'll be glad you're sitting down when you come out of this," she said softly, nodding to the couches. The other avengers slowly moved to sit in front of her. Loki rested his hand on her shoulder and sat down on the step in the floor slightly behind her on her left side. He was far enough away that he wouldn't seem threatening, but close enough that if anything happened, such as Bruce getting angry and losing control, he could jump in and protect her.

The others alternated between eyeing him and watching Natasha with concern, but she wasn't paying attention to that. Her eyes were closed, with her arms relaxed at her sides. Her fingers started to twitch, and green and gold magic sparked from her fingertips. As the magic at her fingers grew brighter, she slowly opened her eyes, and her emerald irises were glowing a bright green. She raised her hands, and soft green and gold light flowed from her and enveloped her audience before each of their eyes began to glow, matching Natasha's own. Their vision swam as they lost all connection to the world around them…

_She started the vision by showing them something simple: the last time she was in this living room. She was saying goodbye to her family and fellow teammates, and Thor called for Heimdall to open the Bifrost. The vision jumped to Natasha walking into the throne room with Thor for the first time. She could sense Clint begin to stiffen as he watched the guards lead her away, and she almost stopped the vision there, but she knew they needed to see everything. She sheltered them from as much as she could, speeding through some of the worst things she endured. With every injury shown, she could sense her friends getting angrier and angrier, and tried to calm them down before The Other Guy made an appearance. Finally, she reached the memory of the first night with Loki, and drew on some of his own memories from when she was unconscious to show them how he took care of her. They watched as he helped her train and learn to use her magic and how she used that time to recover from her horrible days. When it came time to show them the dark elves attack on Asgard, she overlaid Thor's and Loki's memories with her own to show them all sides of the story. She felt tears stream down her face when Loki died, tears she couldn't contain anymore, and she just skimmed over her isolation, only showing them how Odin died and gave his throne to Loki until Thor was ready to rule. They saw how Loki freed her as Odin, and watched as Loki told all of Asgard the truth. The vision ended after Natasha bargained for the terms of Loki's judgment period, and they caught glimpses of Loki trying his best to be a good king before their vision swam once more, bringing them back to the present…_

"Natasha…" Clint murmured softly, pain in his blue eyes. Loki could see the redhead's hands shaking violently as her body swayed from the excess strain of showing seven people the same long vision, and he was by her side just in time to catch her as her legs buckled underneath her. He scooped her up bridal-style and cradled her close to him, waiting patiently for the still stunned avengers to come to their senses and move so he could lay her down on the couch. Clint stood up and reached out his arms towards Loki.

"Let me take her," he said, his voice soft so as to not wake her up. Loki just shook his head.

"I just need to lay her down on the couch. Let me take care of her, because I have experience with this that the rest of you don't. She should wake up in a few minutes," the God of mischief said, and the avengers all stood and moved away from the couch to give him room. He laid her down on the couch as gently as he could, taking care to make sure she was as comfortable as possible.

"What happened?" Bruce asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room.

"She's never shown so many people a vision at the same time, and certainly not one of that scale. She passed out from exhaustion," Loki explained, keeping his eyes on the redhead in question. He lowered his voice even further as he continued, "And as for what she showed you, that was just the tip of the iceberg. It was so much worse than that. She sheltered you from a lot of what I know about, and there's still a lot that I don't know about. She barely touched a year of pain she endured without complaint, and focused on what I tried to do for her, and hardly showed her isolation after the Dark Elves attacked Asgard. She wanted to shelter you from the worst of it, and she didn't want you to see her in that position, so I'll respect her wishes. But just know that some days, it was really hard."

"I shouldn't have let her go," Clint said, his voice low. Tony just shook his head.

"When have you ever known Natasha to not do something because someone told her not to?" Tony reminded him.

The room grew silent again. Tony set about getting drinks for everyone, saying they all needed something strong after what they'd just witnessed. Clint sat down in a chair close to Natasha, and Loki sat in the couch across from her so he was close in case anything happened. He had noticed that her powers had a tendency to flare up when she had nightmares. Thankfully, it seemed like she didn't, and she woke up just fifteen minutes later.

"How long was I out?" she asked softly, startling Clint. The archer had decided to play a game on his phone to alleviate the awkwardness between him and the god sitting across from the redhead, and he hadn't noticed her wake up.

"Fifteen minutes," Loki replied smoothly, nodding subtly to her to indicate everything was okay, and that the guys had taken her vision as well as anyone possibly could. She relaxed almost imperceptibly, but Clint saw the motion.

"Natasha, can we talk?" the archer asked, and the redhead nodded. She stood and followed him out, just barely pausing when Loki wrapped his long fingers loosely around her wrist. She nodded reassuringly and gently slipped her hand free before leaving the room.

She found Clint on the roof, where she knew he would be, sitting in a giant nest that verged on ridiculous. When she climbed in to join him, she realized it was actually quite comfortable. Tony must have had it specially made for him. They sat in silence for a few moment until Natasha moved closer to the quiet archer and rested her head on his shoulder. His arm wrapped around her automatically.

"Nat, be honest. You're not okay," he said finally. She sighed.

"No," she admitted softly. "'Maybe one day I will be. Loki's been trying to help, he really has been. It's just still too soon."

"Then why don't you stay? Move back to the Tower. You don't have to go back," he said. Natasha shook her head.

"Yes, I do, Clint. You know why I do. I have to be there when they say Loki is a good king," she told him.

"But how do you know they'll say Loki is a good king? You realize you gambled your freedom on a criminal's ability to be a good leader," he argued.

"Clint, I know what I did. But I can't just, leave," she said, playing with a curl.

"Why not? We'll have Thor go, lift whatever punishment you'll face, and you can come back to the tower, and rejoin the team," he told her, a note of pleading in his tone. "The team, our missions, we aren't the same without you. Melinda, Hill, Sharon, hell even Bobbi has filled in for you if there's an emergency, but they aren't you. We miss you, Tash."

"I miss you too. And I would love to rejoin the team, more than you could imagine. But I can't. Not right now. If there's ever an emergency and you need me, I'll come. And I'll come visit, as often as I can, and you guys can come visit me. But wait until after New Year's, okay? If everything's okay, I'll come home for New Year's," she promised. Clint's jaw tightened in frustration.

"Why can't you come back and stay? Geez, Nat, it's not like you're moving out of the country and going off the grid. If that was the case we could still talk to you and see you. You're leaving the planet. Why can't you stay?" he demanded.

Natasha tensed. She knew he was just looking out for her and was worried about her. Still, she felt like she was being torn in two.

"Clint, I can't let what happened to me happen to anyone else. I have to make sure it won't," she said softly. Clint just shook his head.

"Natasha, you don't have to. You're not responsible," he reminded her gently. They were quiet for a few minutes before Clint spoke again.

"It's Loki, isn't it?" he asked her. Natasha's hand stilled, and Clint took the opportunity to continue. "I saw what he did for you. I understand if you care about him because you feel like you owe him. But Nat, I don't think anyone would blame you for leaving him to come home."

"I'm not staying because I feel like I owe him, Clint. He helped me, yes. He could have done anything to me and he chose to help me. Just like you did," she said, taking care to keep her voice kind. "When you helped me, I didn't begin to care about you because I felt indebted to you. I cared about you because you were kind to me, and you cared about me. Loki's done the same thing. The only difference is you cared about me as a father."

"Tasha-" Clint started, but she held up her hand to cut him off.

"Don't start. Just, watch," she said, and that was all the warning he got before he was swept up in a vision.

_He recognized some of what he saw from the previous vision, but this time Natasha slowed them down and focused on her and Loki. He saw the first time she went into the dungeon, where Loki cared for her after she collapsed. He saw Loki ask a blonde woman he called his mother to send Natasha to his cell to keep him company. He watched as Loki and Natasha sparred, smiling when he recognized her moves and realized they were performed flawlessly even after several months with no practice. He saw the visions she showed him, watched when Loki healed her when her cuffs started burning her, watched when he healed her after one of the guards almost killed her. He smiled softly when he saw how Loki made her a gown to wear instead of the tiny black leather scraps she had been wearing, and sighed when he saw her vision of her marriage that he knew she hadn't shown Loki. He cringed when he saw her use her magic to escape the room she had been chained up in, watched as Loki cared for her while she was unconscious, despite his mother's death. His heart broke for her when he watched Loki's death from her point of view, and he watched the entirety of her isolation in the days after the Convergence. She hardly ate or slept, she wouldn't speak to anyone, and she looked dead inside. The vision faded after Loki told her he was still alive._

It took Clint a few moments to speak again after what he had seen. Ultimately, it was Natasha who broke the silence that had settled over the roof.

"It's so much more than a debt, Clint," she said, her voice soft but full of emotion. "People like us, we don't get second chances. You know that, and so do I, and so does he. But Clint, we got a second chance, and I'm not going to waste it."

"I understand. But promise me one thing," he said, and when she nodded he continued. "Which your second chance, take care of yourself. You don't have to give yourself up every single time someone is in trouble. You can find another way to help, not just as the Queen of Asgard, but as Natasha Romanoff."

"I promise," she said, and Clint hugged her tightly. "Now come on. I brought presents for everyone."

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**I know, it's super short. I thought it was longer, but I felt like that was a good cutting off point because if I started going into the gifts and the bonding/family time, it would get way too long and you guys wouldn't have a chapter for another couple of weeks.**

**What did you guys think? I'll update as soon as I can get the next chapter written, but that'll happen a lot faster if we can get at least three comments saying "Yes." Remember, if you have any suggestions for bonding time, tell me in the comments! (I'm already planning a serious conversation between Tony and Natasha over one of Natasha's more recent visions, but if you want to see something like the Avengers playing with their weapons or Tony's reaction to the mead or anything else, let me know!)**

**Snowflakes of love and fun to you all! ~Des**


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